Dr. Maulana Karenga founded the Kwanzaa holiday in 1966. Dr. Karenga, then a professor at California State University at Long Beach, wanted to create a holiday about bringing black Americans together and strengthening the bonds between black people.
Dr. Karenga was inspired by Kiswahili, the African language known as Swahili, the most regularly spoken African language which represented a cultural and historical bond between African-Americans.
The holiday was named for the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits of the harvest." The extra "a" was added to the end of the word in order to create emphasis.
Mazao (mah ZAH oh) the crops. As the result of the harvest, Mazao represent productive labor.
Mkeka (m KAY kah) the mat. This is the symbol of tradition and the foundation on which all the other symbols rest.
Kinara (kee NAH rah) the candleholder. This symbolizes the importance of African ancestors.
Muhindi (moo HEEN dee) the corn. Muhindi represents children and the future. It may also be referred to as Vibunzi (vee BOON zee), which means "one ear of corn."
Zawadi (zah WAH dee) the gifts. The full meaning encompasses gifts given as an act of sharing and a labor of love.
Kikombe cha Umoja (kee KOHM bay chah oo MOH jah) The unity cup. This represents family unity and community union.
Mishumaa Saba (mee shoo MAH SAH ba) the seven candles. Mishumaa Saba sybolize the Seven Principles, or Nguzo Saba (n GOO zoh SAH ba).
The sixth day of Kwanzaa is shaped by the sixth principle of the feast, Kuumba (koo OOM bah), meaning "creativity." People demonstrate Kuumba by doing as much as possible to leave the community more beautiful and beneficial than when they first became a part of it. An integral part of the day is the Kwanzaa feast, called Karamu, which usually occurs in the evening, though can also be an all-day affair.
The seventh day of Kwanzaa is shaped by the seventh principal, Imani (ee MAH nee), meaning "faith." This value promotes faith in the African-American race, the people, black leaders and the righteousness of the African-American struggle.
The second day of Kwanzaa is shaped by the second principal of the festival, Kujichagulia (koo jee chah goo LEE ah), meaning "self-determination." On this day, parents might teach their children about making responsible decisions for themselves by allowing them to plan their activities for the day. Practicing self-determination teaches children that the decisions they make are very important.
The third day of Kwanzaa is shaped by the third principal of the festival, Ujima (oo JEE mah), meaning "collective work and responsibility." Families can demonstrate this important value by working together as a group to prepare for the Kwanzaa celebration.
The fourth day of Kwanzaa is shaped by the fourth principal of the festival, Ujamaa (oo jah MAH), meaning "collective economics." This value emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining stores or businesses in the community. A simple expression of Ujamaa is to patronize a business owned or managed by an African-American.
