7- Day Kwanzaa Journey- Day 1: Unity and the importance of the holiday
Umoja means Unity
SALISBURY, Md. – December 26th marks the first day of Kwanzaa, and this is day one of a 7-day Kwanzaa journey highlighting the importance and significance of the holiday.
Habari Gani?
Habari Gani? ‘What’s the News?’ We ask each other this phrase at the beginning of every day during Kwanzaa. To respond, you say the principle and its meaning, and day one, is Umoja which means unity
Matunda ya Kwanza
In 1966 Dr. Maulana Karenga yearned to bring the black community together after the Watts riots in Los Angeles California. He decided to take aspects from Ashanti, Zulu and Indigenous African Americans first harvest celebrations to form the basis of the weeklong cultured tradition. “Matunda ya kwanza” means “first fruits” in Swahili, the language spoken during the holiday.
Nguzo Saba
Celebrations often include African drums, dance, poetry, storytelling, and the “Karamu Ya Imani” or “Feast of Faith”. On each of the seven nights, a child lights one of the candles of the kinara, then one of the seven principles, or Nguzo Saba is discussed. The black candle is lit first representing the principle, Umoja which means Unity or to strive for and maintain unity in the family community nation and race.
Umoja means Unity
Pastor and vice president of the Salisbury Kwanzaa Club Matthew Leonard is Dr. Karenga’s nephew. He says there is a reason we begin with Umoja. “Dr. Karenga stated long ago, ‘Anything you start, starts with one step.” So, the Kwanzaa club, one of the purposes is, to make folks aware… If you unify with yourself, you can identify yourself. A man cannot celebrate Kwanzaa, cannot celebrate Umoja unless he knows who he is.”
Kwanzaa isn’t a religious holiday, but a cultural holiday, so African Americans from all walks of life celebrate, and there are seven basic symbols representing the culture, tradition, and history.
Mkeka– or Mat which symbolizes the historical and traditional foundation
Kinara– not to be confused with the Jewish Menorah- a Candleholder that represents the original stalk: our ancestry
Mishumaa Saba- The Seven Candles- one black three red, three green symbolically represent the sun’s power and provides light
Kikombe Cha Umoja is The Unity Cup for libation
Vibunzi or muhindi is the Ear of Corn that represents each child in the family, and Mazao- which means the crops or fruits
Zawadi are the Gifts
You may also see displays of African statues, literature, and the Bandera, also known as the Pan- African Flag.
Dr. Maulana Karenga
Pastor Leonard says, for the Black community, this is more than just a holiday. He share’s what his uncle, the creator, truly means to him. “Dr. Karenga took the time, I mean he would come from California and sit us around what we would call the round table in our home, and teach us about the fundamentals of Kwanzaa, and instill in us how important it was, how special we were, and how things would change, if we’d make a change.”
Bandera
Activist Marcus Garvey created the Pan African Flag in 1920 as a reaction to the 1900 song known as “Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon”. His ultimate goal was to unify African people of all shared African Origins. Black represents the people, red is for the struggle and green is for the future.
Salisbury Kwanzaa Club
The Salisbury Kwanzaa club has a Kinara right off of Unity square. They say it will be lit every night, and you can go to their Facebook page for information on events taking place during the holiday. Be sure to spend time with your loved ones in honor of Umoja, Have a Joyous Kwanzaa. Harambee!
