What is "karamu"

Karamu may refer to:

• Karamu, New Zealand, the name of two localities in the North Island of New Zealand
• Coprosma robusta, a tree known as karamu
• Coprosma lucida, a shrub sometimes called shining karamu
• Coprosma macrocarpa, a shrub called coastal karamu
• Karamu (feast), a feast held on December 31 as part of the Kwanzaa celebrations
• Karamu House, a theater in Cleveland, Ohio

A Karamu Ya Imani (Feast of Feasts) is a feast that takes place on December 31, the sixth day of the Kwanzaa period. A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast, a Karamu.

The Karamu feast was developed in Chicago during a 1971 citywide movement of Pan-African organizations. It was proposed by Hannibal Afrik of Shule ya Matoto as a communitywide promotonial and educational campaign. The initial Karamu Ya Imani occurred on January 1, 1973 at a 200 person gathering at the Ridgeland club.

In 1992, the National Black United Front of Chicago held one of the largest Karamu Ya Imani celebrations in the country. It included dancing, a youth ensemble and a keynote speech by NBUF and prominent black nationalist leader Conrad Worrill.