Rituals, ceremonies are ways people use to commemorate, teach, reinforce and celebrate important happenings in the lives of the family, community and nation. Kwanzaa is a ceremony to bring people together, to celebrate life, show reverence for the CREATOR, give thanks for blessings and bounty, commemorate our past, rededicate ourselves to the highest ideal of what it means to be human and to celebrate the good. .
Kwanzaa reminds us to celebrate the reality and honor of being of African descent. The seven principles, the Nguzo Saba are values that can be used to unite us into a cohesive community regardless of where we are in the world. Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith) are values we can put into practice here and now anywhere we are amongst ourselves. .
Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday in the western sense that is something you do on a day separate from your normal daily routine or something you profess but don't live or practice in your daily life. Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration; that is, it is designed to integrate the philosophy and principles into our daily lives. Imagine what we as a people could accomplish if we practiced the seven principles on a daily basis? Where would we be if we had faith in ourselves as human offspring of Omneity (Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience) and acted accordingly? If you believe in the power of good, that good is greater than evil, who could stop us? .
Kwanzaa, a seven-day holiday, is a family and community strengthening observance based on traditional African harvest festivals. The word Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanzaa" which means " first fruits of the harvest." Celebrated by an estimated 15 million people December 26-January 1, Kwanzaa is a time of thanksgiving for the accomplishments of the year ending (or the fruits of our labor) while projecting new growth into the year ahead.
