Playdate: Bounty Block

There’s something fitting about using a fresh original block design to commemorate a holiday that, in part, celebrates creativity. Here’s what GenQ Cabana Boy Scott Hansen (also of Blue Nickel Studios) has cooked up for Kwanzaa, a cultural holiday that celebrates family, community and culture among the world African community.

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Africana Studies at California State University at Long Beach, to honor the Nguzo Saba or Seven Principles of the African culture: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work & Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.

It runs from Dec. 26 to Jan.1, includes candles (there’s that light thing, again) and is actually rooted in first harvest celebrations of Africa. To learn more about Kwanzaa, check out this link.

Scott’s colorful block includes the Kwanzaa colors of red, black and green, and has a warm, almost tribal vibe, not unlike a cut of beautiful, handwoven African cloth. Now, we told you last week that this was to be our last Holiday Playdate series, but we were so wrong. GenQ friend John Adams of Quilt Dad and Fat Quarterly fame is cooking up some fabric fineness for the New Year, so soon we’ll have that holiday block to share with you. Stay tuned!