Celebrating with purpose : Kwanzaa
To be an African born in America, is to be proud but often without celebration. Most of our traditions, religions, spiritual practices, and day to day ways of life are deeply rooted in American culture. During the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, we were forced to leave everything that made us who we were behind. Unfortoruntaly, acculturation was not an option for us like it is for other minority groups that have chosen to migrate to America. We often have no holidays, no traditions, no specific ways of life that sets us different than our white counterparts. Besides the dysfunctions that are often used to describe us we tend to just be here in America. As American holidays being the only holidays we know, we often celebrate them because after all we are American; however if you are like me, I often find myself trying to find the purpose outside putting a smile on my kid’s face!
I can remember as a child my mother always speaking of Kwanzaa. It was never really talked about but then again I’m a Prairie girl raised in Wichita,Kansas therefore “Maybe it’s just where I’m from !” My mother was always in touch with her “I’m Black and I’m Proud Self” so it was important that she implemented black tradition to go along with the white holidays she loved to celebrate! Through her I learned to merge both worlds; to celebrate American holidays by implementing Black symbolism. Now we celebrate Christmas as being our night before Kwanzaa!
For those unfamiliar with Kwanzaa, Beginning December 26 and lasting for seven days until January 1, Kwanzaa is a Swahili word meaning “First fruits.” Kwanzaa is a Pan African celebration of community, ancestors, family and culture and corresponding core values. It is a great time to remember the influence that we have had in America. It also marks a significant time for African Americans to reconnect with their African roots and heritage and rededicate themselves to the seven principles.
seven Principals of Kwanzaa:
Day 1: Umoja –(Red Candle) Unity -To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
Day 2: Kujichagulia-(Red Candle) Self Determination -To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
Day 3: Ujima-(Red Candle) Collective work and Responsibility -To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and solve them together.
Day 4: Ujamaa- (Black Candle) Cooperative Economics -To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses, and to profit from them together.
Day 5: Nia-(Green Candle) Purpose -To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Day 6: Kuumba-(Green Candle) 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.
Day 7: Imani- (Green Candle) Faith – To believe with all of our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Gifts may be exchanged on each day of Kwanzaa, hand picked and related to each principal or as free as you like. Food is a must!! Food has always been an intricate way to pass time with your loved ones! It is also great when remembering our ancestors that paved the way for us. Togetherness is what it is about. Learning that it is ok to partake in traditions that are culturally specific allows us to positively embrace who we are, develop a deeper love for ourselves and our people and help to rewrite what was taken from us. I encourage you to add something unique to your holiday celebrations. I encourage you to celebrate Kwanzaa as a way to add purpose to your traditions. The more we are connected as a community the more we heal in unity !
Happy Kwanzaa!
Shop our Kwanzaa 7 day candle .. Our 7 Day Candle can be burned as an alternative to the traditional Kinara that includes 7 candles or it can be in conjunction.
