Kwanzaa is a Pan-African celebration which was initialized in the USA in 1966 and has since spread internationally celebrated by Africans on the continent and the Diaspora.
2. Kiswahili words are used to identify the objects used during the Kwanzaa
celebration as well as the seven principles (nguzo saba.) They are Umoja
(Unity); Kujichagulia (Self-Determination); Ujima (Collective Work and
Responsibility); Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics); Nia (Purpose); Kuumba
(Creativity) and Imani (Faith.) Dr. Karenga said of the nguzo saba: “They are
all dedicated to honoring the teachings of our ancestors in the Odu Ifa, that
the fundamental mission and meaning of human life is “to bring good into the
world and not let any good be lost.“ Umoja is put first because without unity we
cannot even seriously begin the project. And Imani is placed last because
without faith we can't sustain it. But without practice of all the principles,
we cannot really accomplish it.“ The objects used to decorate the Kwanzaa table
includes the mkeka (mat,) kinara (candle holder,) mishumaa saba (seven candles,)
mazao (fruits and vegetables,) vibunzi/muhindi (ear of corn,) kikombe cha umoja
(unity cup) and zawadi (gifts.) The kinara is placed on the mkeka and the
mishumaa saba are placed in the kinara with the black in the middle, the three
red to the left of the black and the three green to the right of the black. The
black candle is lit on December 26 the first day of Kwanzaa, for Umoja, the red
candle closest to the black is lit on December 27, for Kujichagulia, the green
candle closest to the black candle is lit on December 28 for Ujima. The second
red candle is lit on December 29 for Ujamaa, the second green candle is lit on
December 30 for Nia. This pattern of alternating red and green continues until
January 1 when the last green candle is lit for Imani. The zawadi are
Africentric and educational and may include handmade gifts or books about
African history or culture.
Although Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days there are many Kwanzaa celebrants
who use the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) as guiding principles throughout the
year. This is encouraged by Dr. Karenga who said: “It is important to note that
the Nguzo Saba are used as value orientation and cultural grounding in a vast
number of programs throughout the world African community. These range from
independent schools, rites of passage programs, youth development and support
programs, public school educational programs, and religious institutional
cultural programs to various economic and political initiatives and structures.
Thus, I'm confident that African people will continue to see their value,
embrace their practice and pass on these values and the culture in which they
are rooted as a legacy which expresses and encourages the best of what it means
to be African and human in the fullest sense.“
In the 1997 published “Kwanzaa: The Emergence of an African-American Holiday“
African Puerto Rican professor Ysamur Flores Pena quoted Dr. Karenga on Kanzaaa:
“It reaffirms our commitment to the African culture and gives us a time to come
together, as was done by the ancestors of old. We measure ourselves, the
authenticity of our lives, by how rooted we are in our tradition. Kwanzaa is a
celebration of the good, celebration of the good of our lives, the good of our
history, the good of our culture, celebration of the good of life, the good of
love in each other, building with each other, the good of history marching
towards the ultimate goal of full human freedom“
The celebration of Kwanzaa began 49 years ago as an effort “to create, recreate
and circulate African culture as an aid to building community, enriching Black
consciousness, and reaffirming the value of cultural grounding for life and
struggle.“ The struggle continues as we see almost everyday another video of
African American men, women and children brutalized and killed by police. In
Canada the carding which targets an inordinate amount of African Canadians
continues. Kwanzaa is one of times during the year when we can gather, exhale
and reaffirm our humanity. Celebrate Kwanzaa December 26 to January 1. Heri za
Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri!
by Murphy Browne
Toronto, Ontario
Canada