Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2016

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of Charleston’s Lowcountry Kwanzaa
observances.”
While traditional food served
up as part of the celebration varies
from household to household, some
fare includes catfish, collards, mac
‘n cheese, jerk chicken, gumbo,
plantains, candied yams and fritters.
From soul food to exotic curries, the
menus pull from different regions,
creating a diverse feast. The table is
often decorated with mazo: fruits and
vegetables symbolizing the bounty of
the harvest.
“That collective energy is magical,”
said Peart. “It’s more than food,
drums and dance. It’s an exchange of
ideas which ignites others to move
forward.”
“It’s checking in with the ‘family’
and supporting each other through
the end of one year into the next,”
said Peart. “Kwanzaa isn’t just seven
days; it’s a way of life.”
For pagans and Wiccans,
wintertime is filled with reflection
and resurgence.
Oftentimes when people hear
“witch,” their minds flood with
images of “The Crucible” or the film
“Practical Magic.” There’s a lot more
to this ancient religion, and little of it
has anything to do with broomsticks
and black cats.
Yule, also known as winter solstice,
was originally celebrated by the
Germanic peoples to mark the rebirth
of the sun and the start of winter.
The ceremonial yule log was the
focal point of the solstice festival.
Once carried into the house and
placed in the fireplace, it was
decorated in seasonal greenery, doused
with cider or ale and dusted with flour
before being set ablaze by a piece of
the yule log from the previous year.
Gifts of clove-spiked apples
and oranges were laid in baskets
of evergreen boughs. The apples
and oranges represented the sun,
while the boughs were symbolic of
immortality. Modern-day Wiccans
According to Brenda J. Peart, Kwanzaa is more than food, drums and dance – it’s an exchange
of ideas which ignites others to move forward.
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