The Oregon Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Would Like To Share With You Our Special Recognition of Kwanzaa.

The information is from the National Museum of African American History and Culture – The web address is https://nmaahc.si.edu/kwanzaa:  

We call it Kwanzaa – The name actually comes from a Swahili phrase… Matunda Ya Kwanzaa – which means “First Fruits of the Harvest” and is rooted in first fruit celebrations which are found in cultures throughout Africa both in ancient and modern times.

December 26th begins the season of Kwanzaa!  A time for families and communities to come together to remember the past and to celebrate African American culture.

Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community, and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa.

The seven principles which form its core were drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent. 

These principles are: 

Umoja – Unity: To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.  -  (Dec. 26)  

• Song for reflection: Worth His Weight in Gold (Rally Round the Flag), Steel Pulse.  
• The corresponding candle is Black, placed in the #4 position (center) of the Kinara, and the first candle lit, and the only candle lit each day.

Kuujichagulia – Self-Determination: To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.  -  (Dec. 27)

• Song for reflection: I am the Black Gold of the Sun, Rotary Connection & Minnie Riperton.  
• The corresponding candle is Red, placed in the #3 position of the Kinara, and the 2nd candle lit.

Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility: To build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together.  -  (Dec. 28)  

• Song for reflection: Optimistic, Sounds of Blackness.
• The corresponding candle is Green, placed in the #5 position of the Kinara, and the 3rd candle lit.

Ujama – Cooperative Economics:  To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.  -  (Dec. 29)

• Song for reflection: We’re a Winner, Curtis Mayfield,
• The corresponding candle is Red, placed in the #2 position of the Kinara, and the 4th candle lit.

Nia – Purpose:  To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.  -  (Dec. 30)

• Song for reflection: Higher Ground, Stevie Wonder.
• The corresponding candle is Green, placed in the #6 position of the Kinara, and the 5th candle lit.

Kuumba – Creativity:  To always do as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.  -  (Dec. 31)

• Song for reflection: Africa, John Coltrane.
• The corresponding candle is Red, placed in the #1 position of the Kinara, and the 6th candle lit.

Imani – Faith:  To believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.   -  (Jan 1).

• Song for reflection: Keep Your Head to the Sky, Earth, Wind, and Fire.
• The corresponding candle is Green, placed in the #7 position of the Kinara, and the 7th candle lit.

Listen to the lyrical interpretation of those principles as sung by “Sweet Honey in the Rock” in their song Seven Principles.  Original song  written by Bernice Johnson Reagon.

• Umoja – Unity that brings us together
• Kuujichagulia – We will determine who we are
• Ujima - Working and building our union
• Ujama – We’ll spend our money wisely
• Nia - We know the purpose of our lives
• Kuumba – All that we touch is more beautiful
• Imani – We believe that we can. We know that we can, We will any way that we can.

Kwanzaa is a time of learning, family, and celebration.

During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture. Each day they light a candle to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods. The table is decorated with the essential symbols of Kwanzaa, such as the Kinara (Candle Holder), Mkeka (Mat), Muhindi (corn to represent the children), The colors of the Pan-African flag, red (the struggle), black (the people), and green (the future), are represented in spaces, as decorations and in the clothing worn. These colors were first proclaimed to be the colors for all people of the African diaspora by Marcus Garvey.

Meals play a large part in the celebration of Kwanzaa. Throughout the week, favorite African American dishes, as well as traditional African, Caribbean, and South American recipes, are on many menus, and served in many homes, churches, and celebrations.

On December 31, the sixth day of Kwanzaa, there is a large feast called Karamu. Just like other Kwanzaa meals, any dish can be included as part of the Karamu.