Kwanzaa is a seven day celebration beginning on December 26. Each day is dedicated to one of the Nguzo Saba, social and spiritual principles dealing with ways for Black Americans to relate to each other and rebuild their lives in their own images.

These are important principles for every human community.

1. UMOJA (oo-MOE-jah) (UNITY) - To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. 12/26

2. KUJICHAGULIA (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah) (SELF DETERMINATION) - To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. 12/27

3. UJIMA (oo-JEE-mah) (COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY) - To build and maintain our community together and to make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together. 12/28

4. UJAMAA (oo-JAH-mah) (COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS) - To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit together from them. 12/29

5. NIA (nee-AH) (PURPOSE) - To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. 12/30

6. KUUMBA (koo-OOM-bah) (koo-OOM-bah) (CREATIVITY) - To do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it. 12/31

7. IMANI (ee-MAH-nee) (FAITH) - To believe with all our hearts in our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. 1/1

Kwanzaa Poetry
Kwanzaa Links