Youngsters learn the lessons of Kwanzaa

It being Kwanzaa, Tanya Bacchus asked a roomful of children at the Long Island Children's Museum Tuesday, "Habari gani?"

And since it was the second day of the holiday, the children -- black, Latino, white and Asian -- answered the traditional Swahili holiday greeting, which translates as "What's going on?" with "Kujichagulia."

Each of Kwanzaa's seven days celebrates a principle, Bacchus had told the children, mostly around 5 and 6 years old. This was the day to focus on self-determination -- "Kujichagulia."

"This is a day to think about what decisions we need to make, what we want to make of the world, like what we want to be when we grow up," she said.

"A doctor," one youngster said. "A teacher," said a few others. "A hydraulic engineer," said another.

Monday, "Umoja," was a day to think about unity among all people of African descent, Bacchus said. Wednesday, "Ujima," will be a day to collectively solve community problems.

Each day is marked by lighting one of the seven candles on a holder called a Kinara, Bacchus said.

Bacchus, 37, of Great Neck, and Xeny Odame, 42, of Elmont, the volunteers who led the celebration at the Garden City museum, are members of the historically black Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

Odame said the nonreligious holiday, founded in 1966 by a California college professor, teaches those of African descent about "the richness of their cultures."

Bacchus added, "There's also an element about tolerance and reaching a level of understanding about people with other cultures."

Several children representing different cultures were there, including Michael Prisciandaro, 6, of Fairview, Conn., and the Ji children, Angela, 10, Edward, 4, and Edwin, 2, of Commack.

Michael's mother, Jeanne, 36, said the family was touring the museum when they heard about the event. Her son wanted to go. "He's always interested in other cultures, food, geography," she said.

The Jis' father, Hong Ji, said he wanted his children to learn about other ethnicities. "One world, many people," he said.

Bacchus taught the children that African names often have meaning. In Ghana, children's names are based on their gender and on which day of the week they were born. Bacchus said her Ghanaian name is Abena because she was born on a Tuesday. "So I know every one I meet named Abena was born on a Tuesday," she said.

Afterward, Michael, who was born on a Saturday, wore a sign that read: "My African name is Kwame."