ORIGINS
Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. It is a time for gathering of the people for celebration of their heritage and their achievements, reverence for the Creator and creation, commemoration of the past, and recommitment to cultural ideals and celebration of the good. It is based on the agricultural celebrations of Africa called "the first fruits" celebrations. It is important to note that Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, thus available to and practiced by African Americans of all religious faiths.

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chair, Department of Black Studies, California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Karenga is an author and scholar-activist who stresses the indispensable need to preserve, continually revitalize, and promote African American Culture.

THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES OF KWANZAA
Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which would contribute to building and reinforcing community among African American people. These values are called NGUZO SABA (N-goo-zoo Sah-bah) which in Swahili means Seven Principles. These principles stand at the heart of the origin and meaning of the Kwanzaa, for it is these values which are not only the building blocks for community but serve also as its social glue. The Nguzo Saba, first in Swahili and then in English are:

UMOJA (Oo-moe-jah) Unity - To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and world African Community.

KUJICHAGULIA (Coo-Gee-Cha-Goo-Lee-Ah) Self-Determination - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create and speak for ourselves, instead of being defined, named, created for and spoken for by others.

UJIMA (Oo-Gee-Mah) Collective work and Responsibility - To build and maintain our community together and make our sisters’ and brothers’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.

UJAMAA (Oo-Jah-Mah) Cooperative Economics - To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses, and to profit from them together.

NIA (Nee-Ah) Purpose - To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

KUUMBA (Koo-M-Bah) 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 when we inherited it.

IMANI (E-mahn-e) Faith - To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

KWANZAA ACTIVITIES
Kwanzaa has two basic kinds of activities-family-centered and community-centered. Family-centered activities may be any activities that the family chooses to introduce, reaffirm, teach and express the Nguzo Saba. For example at a chosen meal, one or more members can explain the principle for the day and say how she or he practiced it. Also, gifts are given to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to education, tradition and history.

Community-centered activities can be the collective African karamu (feast), especially on December 31st, various school activities or any other collective which calls for gathering of the people, and reinforcing their cultural values and the bonds between them as a people.

THE SYMBOLS OF KWANZAA
Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplemental ones. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement. These basic symbols again in Swahili and then in English are:

Basic:

MAZAO (Mah-zah-ow) Crops - Symbolic of the traditional harvest celebration and the rewards of productive and collective labor.

MKEKA (M-kay-kah) Mat - Symbolic of our tradition and history and thus the foundation on which we build.

KINARA (Ke-nah-rah) Candleholder - Symbolic of our roots, our parent people-the continental Africans.

MUHINDI Corn or VIBUNZI (Ve-boon-ze) Ears of Corn - Symbolic of our children and thus our future which they embody.

ZAWADI (Zah-wah-de) Gifts - Symbolic of the labor and love of our parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.

KIKOMBE CHA UMOJA (Ke-kom-bah Chah Oo-mow-jah) Unity cup - Symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.

MISHUMAA SABA (Me-shoo-maah Sab-bah) The seven candles - Symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values by which Black people must live in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.

Supplemental:

BENDERA Flag - The Black, Red and Green colors were given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world. The meaning of these colors are Black for people, Red for their struggle and Green for the hope and future that comes from their struggle.

NGUZO SABA POSTER

KWANZAA GREETINGS COLORS AND DECORATIONS
The greetings during Kwanzaa are in Swahili. Swahili is a Pan-African, non-ethnic language and is chosen to reflect our commitment to the whole of Africa and African culture rather than to a specific ethnic group or culture. The greetings help to reinforce awareness of and commitment to the Seven Principles. Thus, one asks in greeting, "Habari gani?" (Hah-bah’ree-gah’nee) which means "What news?" The reply is the principle of the day - "Umoja" the first day, "Kujichagulia" the second day, etc.

The African American Holiday of Kwanzaa, Dr.Maulana Karenga
Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture, Dr. Maulana Karenga
Kwanzaa: An African American Holiday, Sharon Shavers Gayle
Kwanzaa and Me - A Teacher’s Story, Vivian Gussin Paley
Seven Days of Kwanzaa: A Holiday Step Book, Ella Grier