Kwanzaa

HAPPY KWANZAA

DECEMBER 26 - JANUARY 1
A Celebration of Family, Community & Culture
Make Plans to Join Us As We Celebrate Kwanzaa Seven Days
We will Celebrate in our Home & We Invite You to Celebrate in Your Home
(Invite Family, Neighbors & Friends To Join You in a Virtual Celebration)
Join Us
Nubian Mask
By W. James Taylor
Geneva Galleries

KWANZAA

In 1966 Maulana Karenga decided that African Americans needed a time of cultural reaffirmation. He looked to East Africa for inspiration for a new celebration. 

 

Kwanzaa, a time of fasting, of feasting, and self-examination, is held annually from December 26 to 

January 1. The celebration is guided by the Nguzo Saba or Seven Principles. Each day of the week-long festival is devoted to the celebration of one of these building blocks of self-awareness.

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KWANZAA
Join Us Each Day To Celebrate

The celebration is guided by the Nguzo Saba or Seven Principles. Each day of the week-long festival is devoted to the celebration of one of these building blocks of self-awareness. Seven candles represent the Seven Principles. Black, Red, and Green candles are used. The Black candle symbolizes the people themselves, the three red candles are for the struggle or bloodshed in the past, and the three green candles represent earth or the abundance of the possibilities the future holds. 

The First Day

UMOJA (oo-MOH-jah) or UNITY

A Celebration of

Family, Community & Culture


THE KINARA

Light the Black candle in the Kinara


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

UMOJA - UNITY

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

Feel free to share a story, offer a song or a poem

The Second Day

KUJICHAGULIA (koo-ji-chah-LEE-ah) or

SELF-DETERMINATION


A Celebration of

Defining, Naming, Creating, & 

Speaking For Ourselves



THE KINARA

Light the Black candle in the Kinara &

First of the Red candles on the left of the Kinara


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

KUJICHAGULIA

SELF-DETERMINATION

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day.

Speak for yourself instead of being 

Defined, named, created for, and spoken for by others

The Third Day

UJIMA (oo-JEE-mah) or

COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY


A Celebration of

Building And Maintaining Our Community Together



THE KINARA

Light the Black candle 

Light the first Red candle

Light the first Green candle


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

UJIMA - COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

Our sisters' and brothers' problems are our problems and we must solve them together

The Fourth Day

UJAMAA (oo-jah-MAH) or 

COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS


A Celebration of

Building & Maintaining Our Own Stores, Shops & Businesses


THE KINARA

Light the Black candle

Light the first Red candle

Light the first Green candle

Light the second Red candle


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

UJAMAA - COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

How do we build and maintain our own stores, shops & businesses and profit from them together?

The Fifth Day

NIA (NEE-ah) or PURPOSE


A Celebration To Make

Our Collective Vocation The Building & Developing of Our Community


THE KINARA

Light the Black candle

Light the first Red candle

Light the first Green candle

Light the second Red candle

Light the second Green candle


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

NIA - PURPOSE

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

How do we restore our people to their traditional greatness?

The Sixth Day

KUUMBA (koo-OO-mbah) or CREATIVITY


A Celebration of

Doing As Much As We Can In The Way We Can



THE KINARA

Light the Black candle

Light the first Red candle

Light the first Green candle

Light the second Red candle

Light the second Green candle 

Light the last Red candle


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

KUUMBA - CREATIVITY

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

We must always do as much as we can in the way that we can in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it

The Seventh Day

IMANI (ee-MAN-ee) or FAITH


A Celebration &

Belief Within All Our Hearts In Our People, Our Parents, Our Teachers, Our Leaders, and the Righteousness and Victory Of Our Struggles


THE KINARA

Light the Black candle

Light the first Red candle

Light the first Green candle

Light the second Red candle

Light the second Green candle 

Light the last Red candle

Light the last Green candle


LIBATION

Pour libation and then sip from the

Kikombe cha umoja, the cup of unity

We remember and honor our ancestors


THE PRINCIPLE

IMANI - FAITH

Discuss the meaning of the principle of the day

Where is your faith?

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