Norwich — Members of the Norwich community gathered at Otis Library on Wednesday for the first day of Kwanzaa.

They were celebrating the principle of Umoja, unity, during the event, which was sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Norwich.

Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that celebrates family, community and culture. It's celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 and has its origins in the first harvest celebrations of Africa. The holiday was created in 1966 and is practiced by people from all religious faiths who come together based on the rich, ancient and varied common ground of their heritage, and their respect for and interest in the culture and music of people of other backgrounds.