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Cover Story peoples from all parts of Africa- South and North, West and East- in the true spirit of Pan-Afiricanism. The origins of Kwanzaa on the African continent are in the agricultural celebra tions called “the first fruits” celebrations and to a lesser degree the full or general harvest celebrations. It is from these first fruits celebrations that Kwanzaa gets its name which comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza. The first fruit celebra tions are recorded in African history as far back as Egypt and Nubia and appear in ancient and modem times in othCT classical African civilizations such as Ashantiland and Yorubaland. These celebrations are also found in ancient and modem times among societies as large as empires (the Zulu) or kingdoms (Swaziland) or smaller societies and groups like the Matabele, Thonga and Lovedu, and all of southeastem Africa. It is from a critical selection and synthe sis of the common values and common practices of people of African descent that Kwanzaa is conceived and constmcted. The Values of Kwanzaa There is no way to understand and ap preciate the meaning and message of Kwanzaa without understanding and ap preciating its profound and jjervasive con- cem with values. Kwanzaa s reason for existence, its length of seven days, its core focus and its foundation are all rooted in its concem with values. After completing an exhaustive study of traditional African societies, Dr. Karenga discovered that all were built uj)on and guided by seven basic principles, which he called the Nguzo Saba. These seven communitarian African values are: Umoja (meaning unity), to strive for and maintain unity in the family, com munity, nation and race; Kujichogulia (meaning self-determination), to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for our selves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created for and spo ken for by others; Ujima (meaning collec tive work and responsibility), to build and maintain our community together and make our sister’s and brother’s problems our problems and to solve them together, Uja- maa (meaning cooperative economics), to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together, Nia (meaning purpose), to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greamess; Kuumba (meaning creativity), to do always as much as we can, in the way we can. in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it; and Imani (meaning faith), to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteous ness and victory of our struggle. The Nguzo Saba are the core and con sciousness of Kwanzaa. They are posed as the matrix and minimum set of values Afri can-Americans need to rescue and recon struct their lives in their own image and interestand build and sustain an afrocentric family, community and culture. They (the seven principles) were selected because of their prevalence and recurrence in commu nitarian African societies, therefore reflect ing a Pan-African character, because of their perceived relevance to the liberational project of African-Americans (i.e., their struggle for freedom, rebuilding commu nity and contributing to a new history of humankind), because of the cultural and spiritual significance of seven in African culture, and finally, because of the man ageability of the number seven in terms of teaching, memorization, learning and core emphasis. The Symbols and Activities of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa, like all holidays, has its sym bols. And like all symbols, Kwanzaa sym bols serve as instructive and inspirational objects which represent and reinforce de sirable principles, concepts and practices. Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplementary symbols. The seven sym bols are; mazao (crops), signifying the his torical roots of the holiday itself and the rewards of collective productive labor, mkeka (mat), signifying tradition and history; kinara (the candle holder), signify ing our parent people, the continental Africans; muhindi (com), signifying chil dren and all the hopes and challenges at tached to them; zawadi (gifts), signifying the seeds sown by the children and the fruits of the labor of their parents; kikombe cha umoja (the unity cup), signifying libation fOT ancestors; and mshumaa saba (the seven candles), signifying the seven principles that are the heart and spirit of Kwanzaa. The two supplementary principles are a poster or other representations of HasNguzo Saba and the bendera ya taifa (the black, red and green national flag or standard). These symbols are both traditional and Black Ink modem items that reflect both traditional and modem concepts which evolved out of the life and struggle of African-American people, and are essential in the activities of the Kwanzaa celebration. All of the activities of the Kwanzaa celebration are in honor and in reinforce ment of \htNguzo Saba. Activities include: collectively drinking from the unity cup; making the Libation Statement in honor of African-American ancestors; lighting the kinara', and taking the Kwanzaa karamu (the feast). Each day during Kwanzaa, from De cember 26 to January 1, a different prin ciple is especially emphasized. For example, on Umoja night, the family discusses the principle of Umoja. Then the Umoja candle is lighted by the person who volunteers to discuss that principle for that day in terms of its meaning and importance. Each day can also have different activi ties for adults as well as children. Adults usually plan night activities, especially since parents work during the day. So parents/ adults may plan different cultural/heritage- building activities for these days. The Kwanzaa activities, above all, is to rein force the bonds between African-Ameri- cans as a people. •••••••• “Strive for discipline, dedication and achievement in all you do. Dare struggle and sacrifice and gain the strength that comes from this. Build where you are and dare leave a legacy that will last as long as the sun shines and the water flows. Practice daily Umoja, Ktyichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani. And may the wisdom of the ancestors always walk with us. May the year’s end meet us laughing and stronger. May our children honor us by following our example in love and stmggle. And at the end of next year, may we sit again together, in larger numbers, with greater achievement and cIosct to libera tion and a higher level of human life.”— TamshiLaTutaonana(TheFarewell State ment). XJlttOfa, Monday, Dec. 3: Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa, will be speaking in Hamilton 100 at 8pm. Reception following in Student Union. ^ ^ ™;ii Kuiichasulia, Tuesday, Dec.4: Three Nights of Kwanzaa by Precious Stone will be nresented by the Collegiate Black Caucus. 6:30pm in Toy Lounge of Dey Hall. Ujima/ Wednsday Dec. 5: Candle light vigil commemorating historical Afncan-Amencan leaders. Union Auditorium at 7pm. . IJictmsm Thiir^av Dec. 6: African and African-Amencan vendors will be m rooms zll-ziz » sponsor UMOJA scries a.6pm U«>ir No«h Dining M. Candle acUvity in Ihe Student Union Aodilorium at 12pm Kuumba, Saturday Dec. 8; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority ^d the Sp^iM Projects Committee of the Carolina Union Activities Board to sponsor a talent show at 7pm mGerrad Hall. ^ Imani Siindav Dec 9- Kwanzaa Extravaganza to be lield in Great Hall or Ihe Umonjrom j5^iSleS« troupe ftom Willingsboro. NI ami Chapel Hill. NC AfroOne to petfom..
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Dec. 3, 1990, edition 1
7
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