Today, we celebrate one of my favorite principles of Kwanzaa….Nia (Purpose). Through Nia, the principal seeks “to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.”
Examine your ability to put your own skills and talent to use through service to your family and community at large. When we take time to reflect on our expectations from life, we can take the opportunity to discuss one’s desires and hopes with family and friends. On today, try to determine your purpose and how it will result in positive achievements for family and community.
In thinking about how you can reflect on Nia, consider these few practices:
Reflect on finding your purpose in life outside of your career
Add some books and movies that educate you about your ancestry and your history
Set short term and long term goals that will set you and your community on a path towards a more intentional and purpose-driven life.
What’s your purpose in life for today and in the future?
On this day we celebrate Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics),“to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.“ As noted on the official Kwanzaa website, Ujamaa embodies shared work and wealth, economic self-reliance, and obligation of generosity. Karenga notes, “To share wealth and work, then, is to share concern, care and responsibility for a new, more human and fulfilling future”.
It’s about working together, making a change, and creating legacies!!
In that spirit, here are a few ways in which you can practice Ujamaa:
Organize a buying club in your neighborhood, housing co-op or apartment building. Items such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, socks, sanitizing wipes, water, and a variety of non-perishable goods can be purchased in bulk and the cost shared so that everyone gets these items cheaper than what they would pay buying them retail.
Support black and local and independent small businesses or businesspersons, cooperatives, artists, practitioners and others who are community- and environmentally-minded.
Join a city and/or community garden in your local neighborhood
Shop at your local farmers’ markets (National Farmers Market Directory)
As each of our families celebrates Kwanzaa and the richness of African-American culture this year and every year, let us all find inspiration in the principle of Ujamaa in the development of a new global economy built through communal values and cooperatives.
On Day 3 of Kwanzaa we celebrate Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)!! This means “to build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.”
Today we recognize the fact that without collective work and struggle, progress is impossible and liberation is a far distant memory. This is when we must truly embody the idea of “it takes a village.”
On this day, I think about the impact of those that we lost this year who made such a great impact on our local, national, and global communities. Their commitment and efforts to the cause will never be forgotten. One can only hope that we continue to be inspired to follow in their footsteps and build on their legacies!
When thinking about how you can celebrate Ujima today, consider teaming up with members of your neighborhood to help renovate a community center, offering to shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk, or even just helping out around the house more often.
And as a way of sharing with my community, here is an event for all my native Richmond folks this coming Friday celebrating Kwanzaa!
Capital City Kwanzaa Festival
December 30th, 2022…. 5-10pm….Greater Richmond Convention Center
Celebrate the season with Elegba Folklore Societyand the creator of Kwanzaa, Dr. Maulana Karenga, at one of the largest annual Kwanzaa events on the East Coast! Come to enjoy a cultural ceremony, performances, workshops, engagement for children, and an African market.
We have come to another day of Kwanzaa…The second principle of the Nguzo Saba is Kujichagulia which means Self-Determination!! To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.”
“In a time in which occupation and oppression of countries and peoples are immorally presented as necessary and even salvational, the principle of Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) rejects this and reaffirms the right of persons and peoples to determine their own destiny and daily lives; to live in peace and security; and to flourish in freedom everywhere.”-Dr. Maulana Karenga
Consider these three questions as you embody Kujichaguilia:
1. Who am I? 2. Am I really who I say I am? 3. Am I all that I ought to be?
Have a conversation (with yourself, or with another person) about what truths you want to live into in this coming year. In addition, check out thisvideo reflection from Dr. David Goode-Cross, as he shares the importance of making life decisions from a place of being grounded in our most authentic selves.
Once you begin to process and internalize the above questions/thoughts consider these few actions that you can do to celebrate Kujichaguilia:
Make the celebration focus on your family
Make the celebration festive and joyous
Try to have a special meal- at home or away
What I like about Kujichagulia is that it also has a personal meaning. As you reflect over this past year, can you identify ways that your self-determination paid off? How did you take more control over your life?
Habari Gani!! It’s that time of year again, a time to celebrate an annual tradition of family, community, and culture!! So you ask what time is it…It’s Kwanzaa Time (December 26-January 1)!!
Check out a little taste here in the documentary on Kwanzaa called “The Black Candle” (narrated by world renowned poet Maya Angelou and directed by award-winning author and filmmaker MK Asante):
During this holiday, families and communities “organize activities around the Nguzo Saba” (The Seven Principles):
Umoja (Unity)
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility)
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
Nia (Purpose)
Kuumba (Creativity)
Imani (Faith)
In addition to the seven principles there are a total of nine symbols (in Swahili and English) that make up Kwanzaa:
Mazao (The Crops): These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.
Mkeka (The Mat): This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.
Kinara (The Candle Holder): This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people — continental Africans.
Muhindi (The Corn): This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.
Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup):This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles): These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.
Zawadi (The Gifts): These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
Bendera (The Flag): The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are colors of the Organization Us, black, red and green – black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future that comes from their struggle. The Bendera is based on the national flag given to us by the Hon. Marcus Garvey, with slight adjustments in order and interpretation of the colors made in the 1960s along with many African countries.
Nguzo Saba Poster: The Nguzo Saba poster or some form of the written Nguzo Saba should always be a part of the Kwanzaa set. For it is these Seven Principles which give Kwanzaa its core and seven days of cultural focus.
Each symbol “represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement.”
This year’s theme is “Kwanzaa, Culture and the Practice of Freedom:A Message and Model For Our Times”!
During this Kwanzaa celebration I will share a little knowledge on each principle and what you can do to take part in this welcoming tradition!! So make sure you stay tuned!!
Today’s principle is UMOJA which means UNITY!! What are you doing today to strive and maintain unity in our families, communities, nations, and the world!! #UMOJA#Celebration#Affirmation
How you can embody UMOJA today is by being kind to your sisters and brothers in order to help keep your family and community strong and happy.
Ahhhh another one of my favorite times of the year!!
For more information check out the following links:
Happy Holidays!! As we close out another year, I have one more list of recommendations to close out!! This month’s list is split with a little holiday flair!
Happy Holidays Friends and Family!! Can you believe we are already in the last month of the year!! Well for this month’s recommendations I definitely incorporated some holiday cheer! As always I try to mix it up for you!!
And remember make sure you pre-order, add to your cart, support your local bookstores and remember sharing is caring!! Who says less is more, at least in this case :-)!! So without further ado check out this month’s recommendation below!!
I Got the Christmas Spirit ~Connie Schofield-Morrison
The People Remember ~Ibi Zoboi
The Nutcracker in Harlem ~T.E. McMorrow
Butter Honey Pig Bread ~Frances Ekwuyasi
Moon Witch, Spider King ~Marlon James
Wahala ~Nikki May
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
Also make sure to tune in for my “Top 21 Books of 2021”, coming very soon!!
Black Future Feminist 