Teacher’s Notes: Celebration Of Kwanzaa
Dr. Maulana Karenga, the chair of the Department of Black Studies at California State University in Long Beach, created Kwanzaa. It reaffirms the importance of family, community, and culture. Kwanzaa is based on ancient African harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa means “first fruits”. It is celebrated for seven days, from December 26th through January 1st. Each day one of the principles of Nguzo Saba is celebrated. The reason Kwanzaa takes seven days is to celebrate the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa “Nguzo Saba” (en-GOO-zo SAH-bah):| Day | Principle | Pronunciation | Meaning | Purpose | Symbol |
| Dec. 26 | UMOJA | oo-MOE-jah | Unity | To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race | Crops |
| Dec. 27 | KUJICHA-GULIA | koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah | Self Determination | To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves | Mat |
| Dec. 28 | UJIMA | oo-JEE-mah | Collective Work and Responsibility | To build and maintain our community together and to make our Brother’s and Sister’s problems our problems, and to solve them together | Candle Holder |
| Dec. 29 | UJAMAA | oo-JAH-mah | Cooperative Economics | To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them | Seven Candles |
| Dec. 30 | NIA | nee-AH | Purpose | To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness | Ears of Corn |
| Dec. 31 | KUUMBA | koo-OOM-bah | Creativity | To do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful than when we inherited it | Gifts |
| Jan.1 | IMANI | ee-MAH-nee | Faith | To believe with all our hearts in our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle | Unity Cup |