Wilkes-barre Contract 
Mayor's Gift Keeps Kadluboski In Tow 
Mcgroarty's Holiday Package To City Wide Towing & Repair Owner Came In The
Form Of Another Deal With The City For Five Years.

2 Sisters Struck By Truck Flown To Danville Hospital

By M. PAUL JACKSON michaelj@leader.net
 Wednesday, December 26, 2001 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 12A 





WILKES-BARRE - The African-American celebration of Kwanzaa begins today, as
black families throughout the country reconnect with their heritage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the Northeastern Pennsylvania region, some African-Americans celebrate
the cultural holiday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Because of the region's size, Kwanzaa ``may not get as much recognition as
it would ... in a larger city,'' said Belinda Tabron, an art teacher at
Coughlin High School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kwanzaa, a celebration of traditional African-American culture, was created
by a black studies professor at California State University about 35 years
ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Marked by candle-lighting and quiet discussions, the holiday seeks to
reacquaint blacks with their roots. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The whole idea of Kwanzaa is to re-establish, in African-Americans, the
things that were taken away from them,'' said James Wesley Chester, the
president of the Institute for African American National Heritage in
Trucksville. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The seven-day observance begins the day after Christmas. It includes a
different celebration for the seven basic guidelines for ideal living. The
ideals are: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Umoja (unity): To strive for and maintain unity in family and community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kujichagulia (self-determination): To define oneself and one's life rather
than having it defined by others. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ujima (collective work and responsibility): To maintain the physical and
spiritual community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ujamma (cooperative economics): To build and maintain shops and other
businesses and to profit from them together. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nia (purpose): To make the collective vocation the building of community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kuumba (creativity): To find ways to add beauty to the community. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Imani (faith): To believe in leaders and the righteousness of community
struggle. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Families also light red, green and black candles, and eat traditional
African-American and Caribbean foods, Chester said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It's the gradual reclaiming for culture and ancestry,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But getting African-Americans to re-establish that ancestry can sometimes
be difficult, he said. Because Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, some blacks
- particularly in largely white areas - might be been slow to embrace the
observance, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It's a slow process,'' said Chester, the author of ``The African American
Ethnicity,'' a book about ancestral nationality for blacks. ``It's very hard
to change things you have been doing and thinking. You develop a protocol for
yourself.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Neither Chester nor Tabron could speculate how many Northeastern
Pennsylvania blacks were celebrating Kwanzaa. Still, Tabron said many families
were aware of the holiday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 African-Americans ``who have an appreciation (of Kwanzaa), might not
celebrate, but there is a knowledge of it,'' she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 M. Paul Jackson, a staff writer, may be reached at 829-7134. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kwanzaa Offers Opportunity To Rediscover Culture 
The Seven-day Observance Starts Today And Focuses On Seven Guidelines For
African-americans To Live Ideal Lives.

Kwanzaa Offers Opportunity To Rediscover Culture The Seven-day Observance Starts Today And Focuses On Seven Guidelines For African-americans To Live Ideal Lives.