also participate in a candle-lighting ceremony. Kwanzaa is a time of learning and reflection too and in addition to the fun the holiday focuses on teaching the importance of seven principles using seven symbols to represent them.NTOne of Dr. Karenga’s goals in creating Kwanzaa was to families learn about and start practicing traditional African values to maintain cultural ties to their African heritage. There are seven different values and as a set they’re called “Nguzo Saba” — “seven principles” in Swahili. Each of the seven days of the festival focuses on one of these values. After lighting a candle each night families talk about the meaning of the day’s value and discuss how they can incorporate it into their lives.
Photo Courtesy AvailableLightiStockThese are the seven principles Belize WhatsApp Number Umoja means “unity” and teaches people about the importance of unifying as a family community country and race.Kujichagulia is about self-determination. It involves someone learning to speak up for themselves and decide who they want to be and what values they want to represent as a person. Ujima is the principle that people should learn to work together as a community solve problems together and be there to support each other.Ujamaa means “extended family” and is a form of economic support.
It highlights the idea of shopping within one’s community to other members of the community profit.Nia is about working together to create purpose set community goals and work towards those goals as a group.Kuumba is the principle of using creativity to make one’s community a more beautiful place.Imani highlights the importance of having faith in members of the Black community and having faith that dreams are within reach.Different symbols of Kwanzaa also represent key concepts of the holiday and reinforce the themes of the seven principles. Families display the seven symbols throughout the festival and use them to kids and others understand the seven.