Kwanzaa is based on the year-end harvest festivals that have taken place in many different Africa n cultures for thousands of years. Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. All the family members should listen to the statement and understand it in a way that all of them can expl… It also serves as a reminder to use the talents within to beautify and inspire the world at large, while understanding the importance of preserving the Earth for generations to come. This festival is celebrated to commemorate the famous harvest celebrations. From December 26 to January 1, many people of African descent in America-celebrate Kwanzaa. "Kwanzaa" translates to "first fruits of the harvest" in Kiswahili, a traditional African language. Kwanzaa decoration at the 5th Annual Regeneration Night Kwanzaa Celebration at The Apollo Theater on Dec. 30, 2011 in … Read on to learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa, the meaning of the holiday, the symbolic colors of the candles used, and how you can engage in the traditions. A Warner Media Company. Karenga defines this on his Kwanzaa website as: “To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.”. The word belongs to the Swahili language, which is spoken in the African continent of the world. The first day of Kwanzaa reminds us unity is a choice, and it's one we can make each and every day. Instead, the African American and Pan African holiday is anchored by seven principles known as the Nguzo Saba which aims to inspire Black people to be united, self-determined, accountable for their communities, financially invested in Black-owned businesses, purposeful with their lives, creative and full of faith. Kwanzaa lasts for a week every year, beginning on December 26 and ending on January 1. “To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together,” he writes. AvailableLight/iStockphoto/Getty Images. The celebration lasts until January 1. The holiday is defined by Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Definition of kwanzaa in the Definitions.net dictionary. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images. Happy Kwanzaa Meaning 2020 Decorations: Set up by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is the day celebrated in order to build and reinforce the American and African communities together.The word Kwanzaa means ‘first fruits of a harvest’ or simply the ‘first fruits’. Kwanzaa is a holiday rooted in ancient African celebrations that occurs from December 26 to January 1 each year. All items are displayed on the Mkeka. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a specific principle, marked by lighting a new candle on the kinara, a seven-branched candelabra. All of the green candles are located to the right. What does Kwanzaa mean? The seventh principle is belief in ourselves as individuals and as a people. No dogma or doctrine here, just a moment to “believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle,” says Navies. In the early days of the holiday, there were seven children who each wanted to represent a letter of Kwanzaa. How Did It Start? The essence of this principle is the ability to “define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves,” she explains. This is a value system organized by seven key principles. According to the creator of the holiday, Karenga, the name "Kwanzaa" derives from … Day 7 — IMANI(Faith) IMANI — FAITH: To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. Similar to ujima, this principle refers to uplifting your community economically. Here’s a look at what those principles are, and what they mean. Umoja means unity in Swahili. Ujima. African culture and major religions have a deep history of celebrations around "first fruits." Kwanzaa, which is observed from December 26 through January 1, is a seven-day celebration of African roots, observed by people of all faith backgrounds, since it's not tied to any religion. Translated as “collective work and responsibility,” ujima refers to uplifting your community. These are placed in the mishumaa saba in a specific order. Each candle represents one of the seven principles guiding Kwanzaa. Explain the meaning of Kwanzaa by offering a brief history of the holiday, highlighting the 7 principles of African heritage and talking about how the holiday is observed and celebrated around the country. She adds that the language used is Kiswahili, the common tongue of the Great Lakes region of East Africa, and one of the most widely-spoken languages in Africa. The concepts and symbols of Kwanzaa derive from traditions and practices found throughout Africa and the African diaspora, says Navies. Oprah Magazine participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The Meaning of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is a Swahili word that means "first" and signifies the first fruits of the harvest. If we talk about the meaning of this word in specific that it means “First” which is the signification of the first fruits that are harvested for the coming year. Kwanzaa decoration at the 5th Annual Regeneration Night Kwanzaa Celebration at The Apollo Theater on Dec. 30, 2011 in … Karenga expands on this principle with, “To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.”, Meaning “creativity,” Karenga defines this principle as “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 final principle translates to “faith.”, Karenga defines this as faith in community, writing, “To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.”. Kwanzaa decoration at the 5th Annual Regeneration Night Kwanzaa Celebration at The Apollo Theater on Dec. 30, 2011 in … Take that, Donald Trump. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, How to Watch Lifetime's Slate of Christmas Movies, Why Lifetime's First LGBTQ Holiday Movie Matters, How to Make Beautiful Christmas Cards at Home. This principle refers to defining, naming, creating and speaking for oneself. It’s a seven-day non-religious holiday observed in the US, meant to honor African Americans’ ancestral roots. Clark points out that black, red, and green are the colors of African American people, originally given by Marcus Garvey, civil rights activist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, which aimed to unite people of African descent globally. Or self-determination. The word Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” or first fruits, referring to the agricultural harvest festivals that are found throughout Africa, according to Kelly Navies, specialist of oral histories for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A key custom during Kwanzaa is the daily lighting of the Kinara. What does Kwanzaa mean? Long before Beyonce created her directory of Black-owned businesses, Ujamaa or cooperative economics, urged Black communities to invest in themselves financially on the fourth day of Kwanzaa by operating or supporting Black establishments and creating ways to earn profits together. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. The name “Kwanzaa,” as well as its spelling, are significant. The celebration starts on December 26 and ends on January 1. “Kwanzaa offers a new dialogue on Black culture, about our positive contributions to the world, and not just the negative stigma of race," says Dr. Adam Clark, an associate professor of theology at Xavier University. If there's a principle we need right now, it's this one. What Beyoncé's Coachella Outfits Represent, The Meaning Behind Lady Gaga's “Stupid Love", How to See, Read, and Photograph Your Aura, Common Types of Crystals—And What They’re Used For. It marks the commencement of the festive season. Umoja not only reminds people to come together physically, but morally. Success! What does Kwanzaa mean? “The beauty of Kwanzaa is it doesn’t start Black history from slavery,” explains Clark, who is also the founder and co-editor of Columbia University’s Black Theology Papers Project. Nia means purpose and is the focus of day five. If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. The word "Kwanzaa" comes from the phrase, "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first-fruits." The word Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili term “matunda ya kwanza” which roughly translates as “first fruits”. On day three, the green candle on the immediate left side of the unity candle is lit, and then the candles continue to alternate until you reach day seven. It is a Swahili word which represents the first fruits of their harvest. Kwanzaa is a nonreligious holiday established in 1966 for African-Americans to celebrate their families, heritage and culture. Kwanzaa's seven days of celebration, which begin on December 26 and end on January 1, focus on seven principles or goals: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Familiarity information: KWANZAA used as a noun is very rare. Let us have faith in ourselves, in our creator, in our mothers and fathers, in our grandmothers and grandfathers, in our elders, and in our future–knowing that we are more than keepers of our brothers and sisters, we are our brothers and sisters.”. The name comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza," which means “first fruits" in Swahili, a language widely spoken throughout Africa. Umoja (oo-MOH-jah) or unity. The first day of Kwanzaa honors Umoja or unity. Kwanzaa is a week long celebration held in the United States to honor universal African heritage and culture.People light a kinara (candle holder with seven candles) and give each other gifts.It takes place from December 26 to January 1 every year. The word Kwanzaais derived from Swahili w… What does kwanzaa mean? The Principles and Meaning of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa means “first fruits.”. The seven principles of Kwanzaa Umoja. “Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but a cultural one with an inherent spiritual quality,” Karenga writes. 1:56 PM EST, Thu December 26, 2019, PHOTO: The ultimate goal is that those principles, reviewed and reinforced during Kwanzaa, will become a way of life throughout the entire year. In The Black Candle, a 2008 documentary on Kwanzaa, narrated by the late Dr. Maya Angelou, she explains, “While the first principle of Umoja brings us closer and harnesses our strength, the last principle, Imani, inspires us and sustains our togetherness. Password reset email has been resent. Since kwanza (first) has only six letters, they added an extra "a" to make it seven, thus creating "Kwanzaa." Non-African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa. The name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits of the harvest." To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. When our news feeds are filled with racism, bickering and unspeakable atrocities, it can be nearly impossible to retain a sense of unity. The primary symbols of Kwanzaa are the seven candles (Mishumaa Sabaa), which represent the seven principles (more on that below), the candle holder (Kinara), unity cup (Kikombe cha Umoja), placemat (Mkeka), crops (Mazao), corn (Muhindi), and gifts (Zawadi). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966 - 1967. What does Kwanzaa mean? On day one, the black candle—also known as the unity candle—is lit. All Rights Reserved. “It actually starts us as inventors of civilizations, people who first broke from the animal world, spoke the first human truths, wrote the first basic texts of human knowledge, and so on,” he says. Even though Kwanzaa isn’t as widely celebrated as it used to be, its seven principles still hold true for some. On the second day, the red candle on the immediate right of the unity candle is burned. Cooperative economics. The name comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.”. Black candle, placed right in the middle of red and green candles in Kinara, is lit on the very first day of the festival. “To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together,” Karenga writes. Kwanzaa is a seven-day holiday that's observed each year from December 26 to January 1. Beside above, what does Imani mean in Kwanzaa? We may earn commission from the links on this page. This serves as a reminder of how African heritage is built upon tradition. Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community and culture. “Thus, Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa, … Although Kwanzaa as a holiday was created in 1966, matunda ya kwanza also means the inspiration goes back much farther than that — all the way back to ancient Egypt and other classical African civilizations. It symbolizes umoja, which means unity. There are three official Kwanzaa colors: black, red, and green. Karenga chose a phrase from Swahili because the language is used by various peoples throughout Africa. Updated Kujichagulia. The holiday is a call to celebrate the richness of what it means to have African roots. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. Coined by Maulana Karenga from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits”.The additional “a” was added to “Kwanza” so that the word would have seven letters, one for each of the Seven Principles of Blackness. To complete your CNN profile and ensure you are able to receive important account information, please verify your email address. What does Kwanzaa mean ? What Does Kwanzaa Mean ? The sixth day’s theme is Kuumba, which represents creativity. The person who takes the responsibility to light the candle makes a statement about the first principle i.e. Meaning of kwanzaa. Information and translations of kwanzaa in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. The word “Kwanzaa" comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” or first fruits. Since the main goal of Kwanzaa is to promote unity, the black candle is the first to be lit on December 26, the first night of Kwanzaa. Despite limited media portrayal of the Black experience, this principle summons a people to write their own narrative. Born out of the Black Power Movement of the 1960s, and founded in 1966 in the United States by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa was formed as a way to empower people to rediscover their African heritage and concretize the expression of the Nguzo Saba. Success! Kwanzaa is the name of an African-American holiday that began in 1966. Next comes Ujima, which reveres collective work and responsibility for the development and preservation of Black communities. “That’s what Kwanzaa does, it gives us a long memory—a long cultural biography.”. Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a black nationalist and professor of Pan-African studies at California State University at Long Beach, Kwanzaa became popular in the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with the black power movement – making up the trio of winter holidays along with Hanukkah and Christmas. Verification email has been resent. Dr. Karenga was a professor and Chairman of Black Studies at the California State University, Long Beach. Or self-determination. The Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," means "first fruits." Kujichagulia or self-determination marks day two. Kwanzaa is celebrated beginning on December 26. That's when the goal of unity in the family, community, nation, and race is declared, says Navies, summarizing the description of Kwanzaa principles from Karenga's book Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture. Christmas might be over, but Kwanzaa is just getting started. Dr. Maulana Karenga established the Kwanzaa festival in 1966. Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious holiday, that can be celebrated alongside other major religious and secular holidays. It’s also a lens to process the problems of others as your own and challenges the practitioner to seek to collectively solve problems affecting the Black community. Translated as “collective work and responsibility,” ujima refers to … What does Kwanzaa mean? The noun KWANZAA has 1 sense: 1. a festival featuring African-American culture; celebrated between Christmas and New Year. Thursday marked the start of Kwanzaa, also spelled Kwanza (with one ‘a’ at the end). After Arabic, Kiswahili, the language of the Swahili people, is the second-most understood language in Africa. Symbols of Kwanzaa include: Mazao (Crops): these crops symbolize African harvesting celebrations as well as the rewards of productivity and... Mkeka (Mat): the mat symbolizes the foundation of the African Diaspora—tradition and heritage. The idea is to embolden the participant to “make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness,” describes Navies. When observing Kwanzaa, the black candle symbolizes the people themselves, the three red candles are for the struggle or blood shed in the past, and the three green candles represent the Earth or the abundance of possibilities the future holds. Finally, Kwanzaa is closed out with Imani: Faith. It is celebrated for seven days. The first principle is unity of the family, community, nation and race. Kwanzaa is celebrated mostly in the United States and in some African countries. This principle refers to defining, naming, creating and speaking for oneself. © 2021 Cable News Network. This first principal stresses the importance of uniting the family, as well as the community and nation as a whole. Happy Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa is a special holiday targeted at celebrating the African-American culture. 50 of Oprah's 2020 Favorite Things Are Black Owned, 18 Black-Owned Beauty Brands You'll Obsess Over, A Directory of Black-Owned U.S. Bookstores, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. What Does "Kwanzaa" Mean? Kwanzaa, which begins Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 1, was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga.

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