Today is the third day of the African American cultural festival Kwanzaa, and for several Selma residents, it’s a great time of the year.

“It is to remember our past, to honor our ancestors and to instill in us principles that can carry us through the rest of the year and life,” Carolyn Gaines-Varner said.

Gaines-Varner is among a group of Selmians that have been celebrating the holiday for more than a decade.

She’s been celebrating since 1992.

For her, it’s about remembering the past and preparing for the future.

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrating family, community and culture. Celebrated from Dec. 26 thru Jan. 1, it originates from the first harvest celebrations of Africa.

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, the most widely spoken African language.

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chair of the Department of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus practiced by Africans of all religious faiths who come together based on their common heritage.

While some people believe the holiday is a substitute for Christmas, many African Americans celebrate the holiday in conjunction with Christmas.

Kwanzaa is celebrated by a nightly candle lighting ceremony. The seven days of Kwanzaa honor the seven principles by which African Americans are encouraged to live by.

The principles are: Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.

Each night, a principle is honored, and a candle is lit symbolizing that principle.

At the end of Kwanzaa, Jan. 1, a feast is held.

In Selma, Gaines-Varner said that no one feast was held, but several people celebrate each night of Kwanzaa with a feast.

Children are encouraged to participate.

“It’s mostly about children,” Gaines-Varner said.

Still, the holiday’s popularity is growing, in Selma as well as the rest of the country. Which is just fine with Gaines-Varner and everyone else who celebrates Kwanzaa.