Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26th thru January 1 st where we begin the season with the lighting of candles, gift giving and ends with a Big Feast.
The significance of Kwanzaa and the 7 principles. Kwanzaa in no way was it created to
replace Christmas or Hanukkah.
This is an African Heritage Cultural celebration that was started around 1965 in the midst of the Civil rights movement, but starting picking up
around the 90’s.
1. Umoja: Unity – To strive for and maintain
unity in the family, community, nation, and
race.
2. Kujichagulia: Self-Determination – To define
ourselves, name ourselves, create for
ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility
To build and maintain our community
together and make our brothers’ and sisters’
problems our problems and solve them
together.
4. Ujamaa: Cooperative Economics – To build
and maintain our own stores, shops, and
other businesses and to profit from them
together.
5. Nia: Purpose – To make our collective
vocation the building and developing of our
community in order to restore our people to
their traditional greatness.
6. Kuumba: Creativity – To always do as much
as we can, in the way we can, in order to
leave our community more beautiful and
beneficial than we inherited it.
7. Imani: Faith – To believe with all our heart in
our people, our parents, our teachers, our
leaders, and the righteousness and victory of
our struggle.
Kwanzaa has seven core
symbols.
The seven principles represent seven values of African Heritage Culture that help build and reinforce community among African-Americans.
1. Mazao: Crops – Mazao symbolizes the
fruits
2. Mkeka: Place Mat – Symbolizes the History
and Tradition of the foundation of building
lives.
3. Muhindi: Ear of Corn – Corn represents
Fertility.
4. Mishumaa Saba: The Seven Candles
Candles are a ceremonial objects that serve
as Light.
5. Kinara: The Candleholder – Represents our
Ancestral and the Original journey from Birth.
6. Kikombe Cha Umoja: The Unity Cup – This
is the day when the libation ritual is
performed in honor of our Ancestors.
7. Zawadi: Gifts – The seventh and final day of
Kwanzaa are when gifts are exchanged with each other to encourage growth, achievement, and success. Handmade gifts are always encouraged as its Creative and Purpose filled.
Let us celebrate the Gift of Kwanzaa with
Friends and Family.