Kwanzaa is a Pan African Holiday that emphasizes a time of remembrance and recommitment to the global African community and to our ancestors. It creates the climate to sustain reflections regarding the moral compass, vast influence, and extensive reach with regard to the meaning of being African in this world. Within the climate of this day and time it is critical that we explore the meaning of who we are, who we were, the legacies that were passed down, and the legacies that we are leaving for the following generations. Putting these thoughts in a global perspective allows us to engage in a collective mind state that is quite powerful because we are a majority globally.
The holiday was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga who is the Professor and Chair of the Department of African Studies at CSU Long Beach. Just emphasize only a portion of the greatness that he possess, Dr. Karenga is also serves on the founding and executive committee of the Black Power Conferences of the 60’s, the National Black United Front, the National African American Leadership Summit, the Black Leadership Retreat, the National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO), and on the executive council of the national organizing committee of the Million Man March/Day of Absence according to his official bio.
Practicing the culture of Kwanzaa meaning living The Nguzo Saba or The Seven Principals which are explained below: (Kwanzaa Official Website)
Umoja – Unity:
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
Kujichagulia – Self Determination:
To defend ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility:
To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics:
To build and maintain our own store, shops, and other businesses and to profit from the together.
Nia – Purpose:
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Kuumba – Creativity:
To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Imani – Faith:
To believe with all of our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
In addition to the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, there are seven symbols which represent concepts and values that emphasize African culture: (Kwanzaa Official Website)
Mazao – The Crops:
These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.
Mkeka – The Mat:
This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.
Kinara – The Candle Holder:
The Kwanzaa candles and harvest This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people — continental Africans.
Muhindi – The Corn:
This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.
Mishumaa Saba – The Seven Candles:
These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.
Kikombe cha Umoja – The Unity Cup:
This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
Zawadi – The Gifts
These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
The two supplemental symbols are:
Bendera -The Flag
The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are the colors of the Organization Us, black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. It is based on the colors given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world.
Nguzo Saba Poster – Poster of The Seven Principles
All of the above principles and symbols reinforce basic values of African culture that contribute to reinforcing and building the ideals of family and community throughout the global African community. The Nguzo Saba were developed by Dr. Karenga and are the heart and soul of Kwanzaa. No matter what holidays you celebrate, this holiday is one that everyone should truly look into and be celebrating year round. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @NakeashaJ and on Instagram @Melanated_Beauty.
