Kwanzaa mazuva ekupembera nhaka yevanhu vatema anopembererwa nevanhu vatema vari kuUnited States of America nedzimwe nyika dzine vanhu vatema dziri muMatunhu eAmerica. Kunonzi mhemberero dzeKwanzaa dzakatanga mugore 1966 nemurume anonzi Maulana Karenga, anozivikanwazve achinzi Ronald McKinley Everett. Mururimi rweSwahili vanoti matujnda ya kwanza (n. first fruits) vachireva muchero wekutanga. VaGiryama vanoti ku-andza (neut. to begin). VaGiryama vanoti kwandza kana maandiko (beginning). Sokuti Ku-m-ogoha Bwana ndo maandiko ga ulachu - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. VaNyoro vanoti okubanza, -tandika kana -tandikire (to commence; begin). VaSwahili vanoti chanzo (start, beginning; source; basis, foundation; cause). VaDigo vanoti chandzo (beginning; source). VaNgala vanoti kobanda kana bandama (v. begin) kureva kuvamba. VaKongo vanoti kubanda (to begin, to start, to commence) kureva kutanga. Fananidzai nezwi rokuti chipande.