By Madhuri Dey
Dec. 27, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Dec. 26 marked off the first day of Kwanzaa. The ceremony was kicked off at Oklahoma, in the Youth Uprising. It is not a festival that is widely celebrated, and for most of the time, the celebrations are drowned out in the Christmas rush. On the other hand, it is not a particularly widely known festival, being primarily an African occasion. The festival lasts for seven days, and is marked by the lighting of candles and distribution of gifts. There are a total of seven principles that the festival is based upon, one for each day.

The seven principles are called the Nguzo Saba in African. The festival is based on the harvesting season. It was founded by Dr. Karenga, who decided that the festival would be based on the seven qualities accumulated from all the harvest festivals that take place all over Africa. As part of the ceremony, seven unlit candles are placed on a table, along with a cup and fruits and vegetables. The vegetables and the fruits are symbolic of the children and elders in the community.

The seven principles, for each of which a candle is lit each consecutive day, are Umoja, or unity, symbolizing unity in every sphere of life. Then comes Kuchichagulia, meaning self determination in Kiswahili, standing for the responsibility that one has to take for one’s own actions. The third day celebrates Ujima, or teamwork. The fourth day is the celebration of Ujamaa, or the importance of financial independence. Nia serves the purpose of reminding people of their ancestry and culture. Kuumba or creativity celebrates the importance of betterment. Imani stands for the faith in the African American struggle.