Happy Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday, which is a celebration of family, community and culture and celebrated by millions throughout the world African community. Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense…more at www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org

The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. Therefore there is one black candle, three red and three green candles. These are the mishumaa saba (the seven candles) and they represent the Seven Principles. The black candle represents the first principle Umoja (unity) and is placed in the center of the kinara. The red candles represent the principles of Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics) and Kuumba (creativity) and are placed to the left of the black candle. The green candles represent the principles of Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Nia (purpose) and Imani (faith) and are placed to the right of the black candle. The black candle is lit first on the first day of the celebration. And the remaining candles are lit afterwards from left to right on the following days. This procedure is to indicate that the people come first, then the struggle and then the hope that comes from the struggle.
The first principle Umoja (unity) is celebrated in the spirit of our ancestors. Its meaning is to strive for and maintain unity in family, community, nation, and race. There is one race, the human race.
The first principle Umoja (unity) is celebrated in the spirit of our ancestors. Its meaning is to strive for and maintain unity in family, community, nation, and race. There is one race, the human race.
The second principle Kujichagulia (self-determination) means to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
The second principle Kujichagulia (self-determination) means to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
The third principle Ujima (collective work and responsibility) means to build and maintain our community together by making our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems, and to solve them together.
The third principle Ujima (collective work and responsibility) means to build and maintain our community together by making our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems, and to solve them together.
The fourth principle of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), meaning to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
The fourth principle of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), meaning to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
The fifth principle of Kwanzaa is Nia (Purpose) meaning to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
The fifth principle of Kwanzaa is Nia (Purpose) meaning to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
The sixth principle of Kwanzaa is Kuumba (Creativity) meaning 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.
The sixth principle of Kwanzaa is Kuumba (Creativity) meaning 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.
The seventh principle of Kwanzaa is Imani (Faith) meaning to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
The seventh principle of Kwanzaa is Imani (Faith) meaning to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.