All eyes concentrated on Thomasina Paige, facilitator for the event, and a festively decorated table, which served as the center of the celebration.

Paige and Eleanor Qadirah, organizer of the event, helped participants to pronounce the Swahili words associated with the holiday and led them through Kwanzaa rituals and the seven basic principles. Paige explained that Monday’s observance was for the second day of the African-American holiday — Kujichagulia, which means self-determination.

Kwanzaa, which was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, was created to introduce and reinforce the basic values of African culture, not any one religion, Paige stressed.

“Kwanzaa is not a replacement for Christmas,”Paige said. “It is a carry over for something more for children to celebrate and learn culture.”

The holiday was established in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement and reflects its concern for cultural knowledge through practice, and the unity of self-determination.

Each night during Kwanzaa, which is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, a candle is lit to represent each of the seven principles of the holiday. The middle, black candle symbolizes the first principle, unity. The unity candle is always lit first, then the next candle and so on.

Every evening at the Miller Center, an additional candle will be lit until Dec. 30 to extend the celebration past the usual one night it is celebrated publicly in Rowan County.

Qadirah hopes the additional days will increase the participation for the event, especially among children.

Several different organizations will sponsor each night this year, which began with the West End Community Organization as host for Monday night’s event. Other groups include the Pride of Salisbury Elk’s Lodge, which will host tonight’s event. The Boy Scout troop of Trinity Presbyterian will host Wednesday night, and the Salisbury Study Group will host Thursday night.Local artists will provide entertainment.

Food Lion and Team Chevrolet are first-time sponsors of the annual Kwanzaa celebration.

Right before the traditional feast of the evening, the group ended the ceremony by reciting a farewell statement, encouraging the practice of the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja, unity; Kujichagulia, self-determination; Ujima, collective work and responsibility; Ujamaa, cooperative economics; Nia, purpose; Kuumba, creativity; and Imani, faith; all year.

With arms in the air, Paige and Qadirah also led audience members in a loud and strong chant of the word “Harambee,” which means “Let’s pull together” in Swahili.