Heavy Metal Athletic
Fitness & Bodybuilding
♦ my Body ♦ my Gym ♦ my Health ♦ my Hobby ♦ my Life ♦ my Power ♦
Since 1980. ♦ Almost 50 years. ENGLISH VERSION

  

🏋 BEFORE YOU START Picture from Amazon


Good to know before you start:

HEAVY METAL ATHLETIC does not support Cardio training as a primary form of workout. We rely on strenght training of any kind. This includes Olympic powerlifting (Snatch; Clean & Jerk) as well as Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts including the full set of related exercises. Hardcore professional and amateur Bodybuilding is part of our day as well as Bodybuilding and Fitness for the average "John Power Doe" (and of course "Jane Power Doe") plus Muscle Training Rehabilitation. Cardio space will be no more than 15% of the training area in new gyms.

Classic gyms are organized in five equipment levels (Iron, Bronce, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and five service levels (Basic, Regular, V.I.P., Royal, Diamond). Classic gyms do not offer 24/7/365 access. Such gyms open at least five hours and 23h at most per day.

Next Generation Gyms (NGG) are organized in FERRUM, ARGENTUM and AURUM gyms. See the MENU area for more information. The gyms always open 24/7/365. Next Generation Gyms are the regular MMXPLUS standard.

Tanning is not available. ✋ No more tanning beds in the gyms after 2011.

WB-EMS ☈ is limited to DIAMOND and AURUM gyms only. Partial EMS (application of sticky pads) can be available in ROYAL gyms. Healthy persons aged 21 to 55 years can use WB-EMS (Whole Body Electro Myo Stimulation) after having consulted a medical doctor!

Unsupervised use of a gym —albeit recommended for everybody— requires a regular minimum age of 21 years. There is no upper age limit. Mandatory gradual supervision applies for minors and persons under 21.
Consult a medical doctor before you start if you have never exercised before or performed an extended break.

The share includes access to one (1) gym (the Home Gym) on a monthly base any time a member wants. The BASE FEE (please refer to the first entry in the MENU section) is the regular amount a regular member pays with regular service and regular access. The individual share can be lower or higher depending on options included or excluded. Consult a medical doctor if you start for the first time or after a long break or if you are 55 or older. No smoking indoors and outdoors. No alcoholic drinks. Zero drugs.
NOTE: The term "Home Gym" describes the selected gym to be used with the normal plain regular unaltered contract.

HEAVY METAL ATHLETIC offers an ultra wide variety of options. Not every option is available in every gym. Over 8000 gyms can be visited and used for free 12/24 thru 1/1 each year. Become a member and make yourself stronger, leaner, and more powerful. If you work out three times a week you'll be able to train in a different gym each time for approx. 65 years and don't see the same gym twice in that time frame.

🏋 POWER! Public Domain picture from pixabay.com Courtesy from KROPEKK_PL

We all are encouraged to make our body stronger, leaner, fitter. We all lose muscles after age 30 and up. So use them or lose them! It is never too late to start - unless on our personal Ascension Day. Let us empower our decades here on Earth and become strong. Trained oldtimers 70 and above are often stronger than lazybones in their Thirties. Arnold knows. A muscular frame prevents injuries, back aches, and other junk nobody wants to incorporate. Eat healthy. Late big meals may affect your sleep. No or very little 'junk food', little to no hard drinks and soft drinks as well. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Never smoke. Avoid sitting for longer periods. Move on the chair. Stand up when making a phone call. Ensure enough sleep. Power nap if necessary for 10, 15 minutes.

🏋 WORKOUT! Public Domain picture from publicdomainvectors.org

Three to four sets with eight to twelve reps each for best results.
The best strategy to build muscle is to perform three or four sets per exercise. Eight to twelve reps per set is the best bet. Almost half a century of training along with the combined experience of a million years confirmed this. Never do the same workout forever. Change the exercises and/or the order. Full body workout works for a while at the beginning. Start with one session in the first week, two in the second, three in the third week, four from the fourth week to adapt to the new muscular challenge. Muscle tissue adapts to the training much quicker than tendons and bones do. Take your time! The body becomes stronger and leaner while working out. We do not recommend single-set training. It can fit you if you like to reach a certain level of fitness in little time per session per week. One to two hours per weeek in total is not very much but it's better than nothing. We all get fit not between Christmas and New Year's Day. We get fit between New Year's Day and Christmas! Never stop. Do it every year.

Personal Training service is available by appointment or scheduled:
1:1 = face to face personal training
2:1 = Small Group: Two members with the coach
3:1 = Small Group: Three members with the coach
4:1 = Small Group: Four members with the coach
5:1 = Small Group: Five members with the coach

10:1 = Big Group with the coach

Unstaffed GymPod Gyms (UST)
Having started in early 2025 there are now seventeen (by Jan. 28, 2026) unstaffed gyms (UST) in business or opening within the upcoming 100 days. Regular business hours are currently between 6am and midnight. For less than 25.- every four weeks on a monthly base those small-scale gyms can be used from age 21 and up. With parental supervision access will be granted from 16 years of age. There is no front desk. You manage everything via APP (Android / iOS) or PC (Apple / Linux Debian (based) / Windows 11). Locker rooms can be used with own .25" lock. Showers can be used. Such gyms can be FERRUM UST (currently 1 gym) or BASIC/BRONCE UST (currently 6 gyms).
In Singapore another version of GymPod Gyms provide Single Use or Mini-Group access on an hourly basis. Don't mix the systems! There is no on-site service!

🏋 OMNIBUS! (for everybody)

We don't care on height, weight, color, sex, etc. Pink skin? So what...?
There is only one race of Homo Sapiens on this world since at least 75,000 years. Every human being shares 99.99% of the genetic code. The tiny remaining .01% is responsible for shape, color of eyes, hair, skin, height and individual weight and more. The genetic code does never affect religion and such. This belongs only to your education. We accept diversity and religious genders. Terror is NOT welcome.
Adult people 21 and older are eligible to use a gym without supervision, albeit recommended. Gradual supervision and time limited gym access is mandatory from age 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 years.

🏋 WORLDWIDE!

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Pick a place on the globe. Go there. Workout. Voilá. Köszönöm.

There are over 200,000 GYMS worldwide with roughly 200 million members. This means thousand members per gym in average. The average user uses the facility twice a week.

Amsterdam, Anaheim, Augsburg; Basel, Berlin, Beijing; Cape Town, Chicago, Chemnitz; Dallas, Darmstadt, Denver; Edmonton, Erfurt, Essen; Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Fuxin; Giessen, Glendale, Griesheim; Hamburg, Harare, Hiroshima; Ingolstadt, Ipoh, Jackson, Jena, Jersey City; Kassel, Kinshasa, Lima, London, Los Angeles; Madrid, Manchester, Moscow; Nairobi, Napoli, New Delhi, New York; Oberhausen, Offenbach, Ottawa; Paris, Phoenix, Pyongyang; Qionghai, Raleigh, Rome, Rosenheim; San Francisco, Shanghai, Stockholm, Stuttgart; Tallinn, Tehran, Tucson; Ulm, Uppsala, Vancouver, Venice, Vienna; Weiterstadt, Westminster, Wiesbaden, Xinyang, Yokohama, Zurich, Zwickau, ...

🏋 AROUND-THE-CLOCK!
24 hours a day. 7 days a week.

Zero excuses. 3a.m.? No problem.
Make your body strong even if it's Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, ...
If you do not need fulltime access you can save by limiting access to (business) week, weekends or similar. More info in the MENU area.

Attention: Full-Time access is not granted for minors!
Gyms can provide supervised workout for children as follows:
Ages 10+11: 11am until 5pm
Ages 12+13: 10am until 6pm
Ages 14+15: 9am until 7pm
Ages 16+17: 8am until 8pm

Officially adult people not yet having reached the 'drinking age':
Ages 18-20: 6am until Midnight


🏋 ₳₣₣ORD₳₿₤€!

The BASE FEE is USD.- a month in the U.S.A. Or less. In your home gym. Any given time. 24/7!
The Míraí: Originally planned from 2020 onwards in very big cities (Megacities) this is now a 22nd century project. Planning in the US starts in 2100.
FERRUM gives you the full basic equipment plus... some important machines 1440 minutes every single day. You enroll in the gym and (re)start your new life along with chrystal clear advices to gain muscle and lose fat. There are tons of plates waiting to be loaded on the barbells and racks. It is no problem to perform Leg Press with 1000 or even 2000 pounds. The sky is the limit. You'll be on cloud nine while working out. The hardware is made for world champions of the next century but never forgets the ancient 1896 olympic roots. Olympic Power Rooms are equipped with metric equipment which is used elesewhere outside USA and Liberia. Don't mix them! 10 kilograms are NOT 20 pounds!! FERRUM does not necessarily provide amenities (sauna, waterbed, ...) but it does provide profound Arnold compatible workout service. Every muscle can de addressed with free weights. Water (also carbonated) is always free of charge. A selection of mineral drinks plus coffee and tea might be available for a small daily amount.
ARGENTUM is more expensive because...

it provides more equipment and more service. ARGENTUM comes with sauna, steam room, and waterbed massage. ARGENTUM offers a circuit training for combined endurance and strength. A variety of live classes invites you to join on site in a group. Classes with real coaches are offered mainly during prime time.
Staffed hours are 8a-11p Mo-Fr and 10a-6p Sa+Su. One personal training in hundred days is included for free.

AURUM is even more expensive because...

it provides any kind of equipment and super supreme service. AURUM comes with different kinds of sauna, multiple steam rooms, waterbeds, massage chairs. AURUM offers two kinds of endurance and strength circuit training sites. Classes with real coaches are offered between 8a and 11p during the week and 10a to 6p on weekends. Staffed hours are at least 6am till midnight every day. One personal training every fifty days plus one mini group training every month is included for free. You even get your personal gym electronic mailbox for free along with a real letter mailbox for a little fee. AURUM offers a wide variety of outdoor activities and swimming, diving, biking plus many indoor activities like dancing, boxing, and mental training as well.

FERRUM

| Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift
| Power cage, Multi Press, Leg Press, Lat Tower
| Access 24/7 with key fob, app, personal code
| Service via Gym Terminal, PC, Tablet, Smart phone
| Mineral water included.
| Further optional services available

,
ARGENTUM

| Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Power Cage
| Plate loaded machines
| Sling training
| Sauna; Water Bed; Cardio area
| Selection of aerobics lessons on site
| Tele-Aerobis sessions 6am until midnight
| Access 24/7 with Front Desk, key fob, app, personal code
| Service via pesonal assistance, Gym Terminal, PC, Tablet, Smart phone
| Mineral water included.
| Mini group training
| Further optional services available

, and
AURUM

| Squat, flat/inclined/declined Bench Press, Deadlift, Power Cage
| Plate loaded and weight-stacked machines
| Sling training
| Scheduled EMS training on appointment
| Sauna, Tepidarium, Steam bath; Water Bed; Cardio area
| Virtual marathon
| Virtual bike tours; also Tour de France
| Wide selection of aerobics lessons on site
| Tele-Aerobis sessions 24/7 every hour
| Access 24/7 with Front Desk, Coach; key fob, app, personal code
| Service via personal assistance, Gym Terminal, PC, Tablet, Smart phone
| Mineral water, coffee, tea, mineral drinks included.
| Mini group training
| Personal training
| Live classes with teachers: How to work out the best way
| Address every muscle in the body
| Further optional services available
| Medical doctor on site
| Rehabilitation training

are Next Generation 24/7 Gyms in operation since 2015 with the first FERRUM gym in Darmstadt starting in March 2016.
Classic Gyms remain in operation and have hours up to 23 hours a day.
You can expand access to more than one location:
You have enough time?

The minimum total access time in the gym is 35 hours weekly; the maximum is 168 hours per week.
The maximum total location access is every gym everywhere. The minimum is one gym (your home gym)

Become an American Benefit Customer (ABC) and receive a 1% discount on your share every year. After 101 years of uninterrupted membership your share reaches zero. ABC cannot be combined with the Centurio program. You cannot enroll into the ABC program if you limit access times below 100 hours per week or cut the number of visits.

Gyms came into existence between 1960 and 1970. Some gyms are even older. The big boom began with the Ronald Reagan era. Many of the old gyms are 'Classic gyms', opening less than 168 hours a week. Such gyms provide five different levels of equipment (Iron, Bronce, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) and five different levels of service (Basic, Regular, V.I.P., Royal, and Diamond). Depending on those levels and the total operational hours per day and week their fees vary. Classic gyms open at least 5 hours daily and at least 35 hours per week. Classic gyms open max. 23 hours daily and 161 hours per week at most.

🏋 INFORMATIVE!

Virtually limitless information from around the world.
The experience of millions of people is waiting for you and me. Sharing workout experience in the community helps to become better, leaner, stronger over time. The equivalence of miles of books is stored online. Use your iPad or Android pad to dive into it. Enjoy live sessions online. Consult a coach at the same time and get advantages by receiving corrections just in time by using your camera. International appointments need to use UTC time zone.
Or watch a bazillion of You Tube videos in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Dutch, Kisuaheli and even Klingon.

🏋 CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT!

Not necessarily today. But for sure tomorrow. And the day after.
Your weight shouldn't be just two digits (unless you are very short). Most adults weigh between 100 and 300 pounds. The maximum weight the scales can show before they overload is 444 lbs. Some gyms have scales up to 999 lbs but this is rare.

🏋 6 FOOT — 7 FOOT — 8 FOOT — WHOA!

Nobody cares about your 345.6 lb footprint. Tall people have more power.
The range for free weight training is 4'...8'; for machine training it's 5'...7'.
System codes are HM-45; HM-56; HM-67; HM-78; HM-46; HM-57; HM-68; HM-47; HM-58; HM-48.
The digits stand for height in feet. HM-57 suits people very well between little under 5' and little over 7' and so on.
Olympic Powerlifting (Snatch, Clean-and-jerk) follows HM-39.
You may see four digit HM codes. They give exact suitable height in inches where the maximum range is 3999 (from 39" to 99").


🏋 NON-ALCOHOLIC — CONTAINS IRON —
    NO NICOTINE !

Alcohol is for desinfection only. Nobody drives you to desinfect your esophagus.
Our world is made of HEAVY METAL. We convert iron into power.
Smoking is never okay in the gym. Indoors and outdoors.

No alcohol in the gym!
No smoking in the gym!
No drugs in the gym!

May be allowed above +1000°

🏋 SAUNA CAN HELP TO RELAX!

ARGENTUM and AURUM gyms only: The regular finnish sauna provides temperatures around 200°F / 90°C. Humidity is below 20% rH.
A Tepidarium is similar to a sauna but the temperature is just 120°F / 50°C.
There are steam rooms as well often with different flavors. Steam rooms provide temperatures of up to 120°F / 50°C along with a humidity of 100% rH.
It is highly recommended that you secure hearing aids in a dry and cool place in order not to destroy them in excess heat and/or humidity. The same applies for other delicate electronic equipment unless specified for extreme environment.
Please obey the sauna rules. Have a shower before you start. Use a long towel to lay on.

🏋 WATERBED MASSAGE

ARGENTUM and AURUM Gyms provide waterbed massage. Relax on the towel equipped bed and enjoy powerful water massage. Adjust the convenient level with a fingertip in a wide range. The latest version is ALEXA compatible. The beds provide a dry environment while you feel like being in a body of water.

🏋 ELECTRO MYO STIMULATION — EMS ☈⚡

Many AURUM (and DIAMOND) gyms offer EMS workout. Specialists offer a face-to-face workout. Such a workout lasts approx. 22 minutes each once to twice a week. EMS workout requires a special suit (similar to a diver's suit) to transfer electrical stimulation to the body.
❌ People with pacemakers (and also peacemakers!!), cochlear implants, tooth root implants, and artificial joints; pregnant women, epilepsy patients, vertigo patients cannot use EMS workout due to safety reasons. You must not suffer from any desease! In most gyms EMS is limited to persons between 5' and 6' and ages 21 to 55 for Whole-Body EMS and ages 18 to 70 for partial application when sticky pads are used. Consulting a doctor prior to use of EMS workout is mandatory without exemption!
Feel strange during EMS workout? STOP immediately! 🛑
EMS is available only with vouchers. They come in packs of 1, 6, 12, 15, and 20 units.


🏋 REHABILITATION GYMS

Starting on 1/1/2025
Kieser Training is now just KIESER
ReMedia accepts doctor's prescriptions
specialized Rehab Gyms are in business. Several gyms do offer rehab services since the third millennium has begun but we think it's time to have special rehab gyms now - especially for people aged 60 ... 110. Rehab gyms offer rehab levels 3 thru 9, Level X, Post-Rehab and Pre-Rehab as well. Rehab gyms are driven by medical doctors, Masters of Science in fitness and rehabilitation, and more special skilled employees. Rehab gyms go far beyond regular workout. Customers can adjust machines by 100 grams, use medical services, therapies, and more under one roof. Such gyms are currently not accessible between midnight and 6am. Rehab gyms are wheelchair accessible and 100% barrier-free. Depending on your health insurance Rehab gyms can be used for free with appropiate prescription.

🏋 FEDERAL OR STATE-DRIVEN
    OUTDOOR MINI-GYMS

Becoming more and more common since ~2020 communities establish stainless steel outdoor gyms with a very limited range of equipment. They never close. Such gyms can withstand temperatures from 100 degrees below zero up to 250 degrees above zero. We recommend not to use those gyms if it is very cold or very hot because it might not be too healthy working out at 110F or -50F. But it is up to you.
Many HEAVY METAL gyms offer a similar outdoor area on the roof and/or in the backyard.

🏋 TANNING ONLY NATURALLY WITH 🌞 OUR SUN!

❌ There are no more tanning beds in the gym after 2011. ❌

 HEAVY METAL ATHLETIC does no longer support tanning due to severe health risks 🤕. We observed too many problems between 1992 and 2010. So we axed tanning in 2011.
Independent Tanning Studios are (very) close to many gyms.
They provide artificial sun (supervised) up to 24/7 on pay-per-use or with contracts.

🏋 LOCATING A GYM

Any Gym can be located (and navigated to)
  1. by its postal address; supported by every GPS / Galileo / Glonass navigational system
    ex.: HEAVY METAL Gym, 145 Briar Ave., Kamloop, BC, Canada
  2. the full international phone number
    ex.: +1 250 554-3424
  3. The Gym ID; via the myGYM app
    ex.: 12E2025
  4. Latitude and longitude coordinates; works identical to #1
    ex.: 50⁰N 41' 8.8218" 120⁰W 21' 11.4834'' (DMS variant)
    ex.: 50.6857836 -120.3531896 (DD variant)
  5. Plus-Code:
    via Plus.codes with any browser or by just searching via smart phone
    ex.: 9F28Q4C9+466
  6. What3Words (new); the w3w app is available in the App Stores.
    60 languages

    • Afrikaans (Afrikaans)
    • Amharic (አማርኛ)
    • Arabic (العربية)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Bahasa Indonesia)
    • Bahasa Malaysia (Bahasa Malaysia)
    • Bengali (বাংলা)
    • Bosnian (Босански)
    • Bosnian (Bosanski)
    • Bulgarian (български)
    • Catalan (Català)
    • Chinese (Simplified) – 中文（简体）
    • Chinese (Traditional) – 中文（繁體）
    • Croatian (Hrvatski)
    • Czech (Čeština)
    • Danish (Dansk)
    • Dutch (Nederlands)
    • English
    • Estonian (Eesti)
    • Finnish (Suomi)
    • French (Français)
    • German (Deutsch)
    • Greek (Ελληνικά)
    • Gujarati (ગુજરાતી)
    • Hebrew (עברית)
    • Hindi (हिंदी)
    • Hungarian (Magyar)
    • IsiXhosa (isiXhosa)
    • IsiZulu (isiZulu)
    • Italian (Italiano)
    • Japanese (日本語)
    • Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ)
    • Kazakh (Қазақ)
    • Kazakh (Qazaq)
    • Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ)
    • Korean (한국어)
    • Lao (ລາວ)
    • Malayalam (മലയാളം)
    • Marathi (मराठी)
    • Mongolian (Cyrillic) - Монгол хэл (Криллээр)
    • Mongolian (Latin) - Монгол хэл (Латинаар)
    • Montenegrin (Црногорски)
    • Montenegrin (Crnogorski)
    • Nepali (नेपाली)
    • Norwegian (Norsk)
    • Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ)
    • Persian (فارسی)
    • Polish (Polski)
    • Portuguese (Português)
    • Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ)
    • Romanian (Română)
    • Russian (Русский)
    • Serbian (Српски)
    • Serbian (Srpski)
    • Sinhala (සිංහල)
    • Slovak (Slovenčina)
    • Spanish (Español)
    • Swahili (Kiswahili)
    • Swedish (Svenska)
    • Tamil (தமிழ்)
    • Telugu (తెలుగు)
    • Thai (ไทย)
    • Turkish (Türkçe)
    • Ukrainian (Yкраїнська)
    • Urdu (اردو)
    • Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)
    • Welsh (Cymraeg)

    are supported as of Christmas (Noël; Navidad) 2024.
    ex.: ///trumped.limped.packets
    Attention: Do take care on the exact words! A very similar ///trumped.limped.pockets may lead to a location (hundreds of) miles away! What3Words may give you a destination code in a language other than English because your system uses another tongue. This is not a problem. The destination is the same. Attention: A simple translation of the w3w results does NOT work!

🏋 HEAVY KWANZAA

Every gym invites you to try it out for free. Every year from December 24 (Christmas Eve) thru January 1 (New Year's Day) plus the preceeding or following weekend access is free. Enjoy the power flowing into your body and step in to a better, leaner, and fitter life.

Kwanzaa occurs 12/26 until 1/1 each year. In HEAVY METAL we start on Christmas Eve and add the preceeding or proceeding weekend. 
DEC20 DEC21 DEC22 DEC23 DEC24 DEC25 DEC26 DEC27 DEC28 DEC29 DEC30 DEC31 JAN01 JAN02 JAN03 JAN04    HEAVY KWANZAA active
 MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE     Dec.24 until Jan.02 ¹
 TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED     Dec.24 until Jan.01 ⁰
 WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU     Dec.23 until Jan.01 ²
 THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI     Dec.22 until Jan.01 ³
 FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT     Dec.24 until Jan.01 ⁰
 SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN     Dec.24 until Jan.01 ⁴
 SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON   TUE   WED   THU   FRI   SAT   SUN   MON     Dec.24 until Jan.03 ⁵
 
 ⁰ No extension. This applies in the years 2024, 2025, 2030, 2031, ...
 ¹ New Year's Day is a Saturday. The following day is Sunday which is part of the weekend.
 ² plus Dec.22 Noon thru Midnight. Dec.22 is a Friday. So the Weekend starts that day at Noon. Dec.23 is a Saturday.
 ³ plus Dec.21 Noon thru Midnight. Dec.21 is a Friday. So the Weekend starts that day at Noon. Dec.22+23 is Weekend.
 ⁴ Friday morning is not part of a weekend: Weekends start at Noon on Fridays.
 ⁵ New Year's Day is a Friday so the following Saturday and Sunday is included.
THE ORIGIN OF KWANZAA: Every year, right after Christmas day (Dec.26 thru Jan.1), you may hear some Black folks talking about celebrating Kwanzaa. Many of them jokingly because they don't know the history or roots behind the holiday. Here's how it all came about and why celebrating it could be more important than ever. Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday. According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest". The choice of Swahili, an East African language, reflects its status as a symbol of Pan-Africanism, especially in the 1960s, although most of the Atlantic slave trade that brought African people to America originated in West Africa. For more information of the KWANZAA holidays see Official Kwanzaa Website





All the pictures here are taken from Wikipedia or are free for commercial and private use / public domain or are self made.