Mkeka is the name of the woven mat that is one of the symbols of Kwanzaa.
The other six symbols are crops, the kinara, the corn, the seven candles, the unity cup, and the gifts. Specifically, the kinara is the candle holder for the three red, one black and three green candles of the lighting ceremony aspect of kwanzaa. The candles celebrate unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
Tatami
The candleholder used during Kwanzaa is called a kinara. It sits on an mkeka, or mat.
Corn is one of the basic foods grown in Africa and is therefore a key food in many cultures and society. The African people regard the corn's life cycle as a symbol of the human life cycle. It is the custom to have the family place as many ears of corn on the Kwanzaa display as there are children in the family. If there are no children, an ear is still placed there, to reaffirm the belief that parenthood is not only biological, but a social responsibility. The mat is made of straw woven together and is the foundation that all of the other symbols are placed on. There is an African proverb that says "No matter how high a house is built, it must stand on something." In this case it represents the basic foundation of knowledge of African culture.
A Japanese sleeping mat is called a futon. A futon sits upon a woven mat called a tatami. These types of beds have been used for thousands of years of Japanese history.
It was a tradition of a man weaving a mat for courtship from buri or raffia leaves in Bolinao, Philippines. Nowadays they are woven by women too for commercial purposes.
a prayer mat
a floor mat or, spelled as Matt, a name.
Mat Sentul's birth name is Mat Raship bin Yahya.
Mat Kearney's birth name is Mathew Kearney.
Mat Herben's birth name is Mattieu Herben.
Mat Langford's birth name is Mathew Raymond Langford.
The crops, the mat, the kinara, the corn, the seven candles, the unity cup, and the gifts are the symbols of kwanzaa. Specifically, the kinara is the candle holder for the three red, one black and three green candles of the lighting ceremony aspect of kwanzaa. The candles celebrate unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.