accommodate, accountability, acknowledgment, African-American, aggregate, altar, amity, ancestors, art, attitude
banderas, black
candles, celebration, chalice, civil, collaborative, collective work, colorful, commemoration, commitment, community, consideration, cooperation, cooperative economies, coronation, creativity, cultural
deed, deference, dependable, dried Indian corn (represents children), dynamic
educational gifts, energy, enjoyment, ethics, evaluation
faith, family, feelings, flags, forebearer, forgiving
genuine, gift, goodness, grace, green
help, heritage, honesty, hope, humor
Imani=faith, integrity, intemperance
joy, jubilant, jubilee, judge
kindness, kinship, Kujiehagulia, Kuumba
laughter, listening, love, loyalty
merrymaking, mission, motivate
Nguzo Saba, Nia, nobility
opportunity, optimism, order
praise, productive, purpose
qualities, quest
reason, reliability, resourceful, responsibility, restrain, reverent
self-determination, sensitivity, sharing, solemn, supportive, sympathy, synergy
tactful, teamwork, tendency, thoughtful, tolerance, trial, truth
Ujamaa, Ujima, Umoja, understanding, unique, unity
values, virtue, vision, visionary
warmth, willingness, wisdom, worship, worthwhile, worthy
yearn, youth
zeal, zealous
KWANZAA – a non-religious holiday
Kwanzaa comes from Swahili meaning “first fruits” of harvest. The non-religious, cultural holiday was first created in 1966 by a professor, Maulana Karenga, at Cal State Long Beach.
The celebration occurs with respect for its symbols, values and practices. The spiritual underpinnings predate Christianity.
One of its objectives is to restore roots in African culture. Families reflect on seven themes beginning on Dec. 26th and continuing through January 1 in this order.
Some estimates state that Kwanzaa has become a cultural touchstone was 28 million people. Candle colors range from black, green and red.
The Nguzo Saba or seven principles that form the essence of Kwanzaa include the following:
Umoja = unity
Kujiehagulia = self-determination
Ujima = collective work and responsibility
Ujamaa = cooperative economics
Nia = purpose
Kuumba = creativity
Imani = faith
Sources of information include A. Peter Evans as quoted by Aaron Claverie of the Palo Alto Daily News, Palo Alto, CA
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