Kwanzaa:CelebratingAfricanHeritageandUnity

Kwanzaaisaweek-longcelebrationofAfricanheritageandunitythatisobservedfromDecember26toJanuary1eachyear.CreatedbyDr.MaulanaKarengain1966,KwanzaaisaculturalholidaythatiscelebratedprimarilyintheUnitedStatesandothercountrieswithsignificantAfricandiasporacommunities.TheholidayprovidesanopportunityforthoseofAfricanheritagetoconnectwiththeircultureandcelebratetheirsharedvaluesandtraditions.

ThePrinciplesofKwanzaa

AttheheartofKwanzaaaresevenprinciples,knownasNguzoSaba,whichareintendedtoguidethosewhocelebratetheholidaythroughouttheyear.Theseprinciplesare:

• Umoja(Unity):Tostriveforandmaintainunityinthefamily,community,nation,andrace.
• Kujichagulia(Self-Determination):Todefineandnameourselves,aswellastocreateandspeakforourselves.
• Ujima(CollectiveWorkandResponsibility):Tobuildandmaintainourcommunitytogetherandmakeourbrothers'andsisters'problemsourproblemsandtosolvethemtogether.
• Ujamaa(CooperativeEconomics):Tobuildandmaintainourownstores,shops,andotherbusinessesandtoprofitfromthemtogether.
• Nia(Purpose):Tomakeourcollectivevocationthebuildinganddevelopingofourcommunityinordertorestoreourpeopletotheirtraditionalgreatness.
• Kuumba(Creativity):Todoalwaysasmuchaswecan,inthewaywecan,inordertoleaveourcommunitymorebeautifulandbeneficialthanweinheritedit.
• Imani(Faith):Tobelievewithallourheartinourpeople,ourparents,ourteachers,ourleaders,andtherighteousnessandvictoryofourstruggle.

HowKwanzaaisCelebrated

KwanzaacelebrationstypicallyincludeseveralkeyritualsandpracticesthataremeanttohonorAfricanheritageandencourageunity.Thesemayinclude:

• Lightingsevencandles,eachrepresentingoneofthesevenprinciplesofKwanzaaandplacedinaspecialholdercalledtheKinara.
• DrummingandothermusicalperformancesorrecitationsoftraditionalAfricantalesandfolklore.
• FeastingontraditionalAfricanfoodsandsharinginthepreparationandenjoymentofthesedishesaspartofacommunitygathering.
• Writingorreadingmessagesofinspirationandunity,knownasZawadi,andexchangingthoughtfulgiftswithone'sfamilyandotherlovedones.
• PerformingtheKwanzaaceremonyoneachofthesevendaysoftheholiday,witheachnightdevotedtoadifferentprinciple.

Throughthesepracticesandthesharedcelebrationoftheircultureandheritage,thosewhoobserveKwanzaaaimtopromoteunityandgoodwillamongallpeopleofAfricandescent.ByembracingtheprinciplesofUmoja,Kujichagulia,Ujima,Ujamaa,Nia,Kuumba,andImani,theyhopetocreateabetterfutureforthemselvesandtheircommunities.