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Kwanzaa
What is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African American culture and heritage, observed from December 26 to January 1. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, this week-long holiday honors African traditions and principles, emphasizing community, family, and cultural identity.
This event is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware events on DelawareScene.com.
The Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba)
Kwanzaa is guided by seven core principles, each representing a fundamental value:
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Umoja (Unity):
To strive for and maintain unity in family, community, nation, and race.
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Kujichagulia (Self-Determination):
To define, name, create, and speak for ourselves.
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Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility):
To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems.
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Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics):
To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and businesses.
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Nia (Purpose):
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community.
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Kuumba (Creativity):
To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.
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Imani (Faith):
To believe in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness of our struggle.
Symbols and Traditions
Kwanzaa is rich with meaningful symbols​
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Mkeka:
A woven or straw mat that represents the idea that nothing can be built without a foundation
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Kinara:
A candleholder with seven candles representing the seven principles
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Mishumaa Saba:
Seven candles (black, red, and green) lit each night. The singular black candle is placed in the center, three red candles on the left, and three green candles on the right. We light the candles starting in the center with the black candle and from left to right, (red, green, red, etc.), moving from the center out.
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Kikombe cha Umoja:
The unity cup, used to pour libations honoring ancestors
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Muhindi:
Corn that represents the children, one for each child in your family and one for the community children
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Mazao:
Crops, symbolizing productive and collective labor
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Zawadi:
Gifts given to children on the last day of the celebration to honor promises kept throughout the year
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Supplemental Items:
Bendera:
The flag. The traditional Kwanzaa flag is that of the Organization Us which is based on the national pan-African flag given to the African diaspora by the Honorable Marcus Garvey.
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The pan-African flag is red, black, and green (in that order).
The flag for the Organization Us is black, red, and green (in that order).
Although the black, red, and green flag is the traditional Kwanzaa flag, the pan-African flag (red, black, and green) may be used.
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The Nguzo Saba poster or some form of the written Nguzo Saba should always be a part of the Kwanzaa set. For it is these Seven Principles which give Kwanzaa its core and seven days of cultural focus.