Kwanzaa From Holiday to every day. ch 1 through ch 4

Ch 1 birth of a giant

The seven kwanzaa principles are

1 Unity

2 Self determination 

3 Collective work and responsibility 

4 Cooperative economics

5 Purpose

6 Creativity

7 Faith

There's also the five fundamentals

1 unity 

2 reverence for the creator (environment)

3 Commeration of the past 

4 commitment to African culture

5 celebration of "good of life"

Kwanza means first in kiswahili

They decided to add an extra a at the end

Ch 2 pg 17

Check out aaha-info.org

Ok, you can't, so Google African American Holiday Association and try to find Kendi's video about how a family celebrates kawanzaa.

This chapter goes into the details of the seven principles.

Lots of people's individual stories about their relationship with Kwanzaa. 

Ch 3 pg 45

Lots of good advice for planning a kwanzaa party.

They go over the many parts 9f the Kwanzaa table.

Mazao: crops.  Usually fresh fruit and vegetables. 

Mkeka: straw mat

Kinara: Candle holder.  7 candles 

Muhindi: ears of corn 🌽 to celebrate the children.  If you got a lot of kids, one per kid.

Mishumaa Saba: seven candles.  One black, three red, three green.  We light and extra candle each day.

Kikombe che umoja: unity cup. Usually hand crafted.  Wod or ceramic preferred. 

Bendera: flag, the red, black and green one conceived by Marcus Mosiah Garvey in 1920.

Nguzo saba poster: it's got a list of the 7 principles. 

Then you also add a couple other personal items. 

Kwanzaa is celebrated through the Kiswahili language.   They list some Kiswahili terms you can use to enrich you Kwanzaa celebration.

You gotta decorate to celebrate your African heritage. 

Kwanzaa gift giving is low key.  It's all about giv8ng something meaningful.   Hand crafted gifts are good. Also books, we're inspiring and educating people here.  

African Inspired clothing us a must 

Ch 4 pg 69

There's some stuff that's kinda formal with firm rules in a Kwanzaa ceremony like the ceremonial table and honoring the Olds and drinking from the cup of unity but largely it's kinda open to what you wanna do to honor your African heritage and the seven principles and what not.  But really it's all about celebrating the year that has past.