Seven Candles of
Kwanzaa
was created especially
for
Jessica Ann Smith
at the age of
6
With love from,
Mommy and Daddy
December 27, 2001
Page 3
Hello,
Jessica. My name
is Zawadi. My
name means "Gifts" in
Swahili. I am a
storyteller, and I'm
here to tell you
about a very special
holiday. It is
called Kwanzaa. Have
you ever heard of
Kwanzaa,
Jessica? It
means "First
Fruits of the Harvest".
It is time to
celebrate our
African-American heritage
and culture. We
celebrate Kwanzaa from
December 26th to
January 1st.
Page 4
We celebrate many
holidays such as
Christmas and
Thanksgiving, but Kwanzaa
is special! Yes,
Jessica, gifts are
given, but the true
meaning of Kwanzaa
can be found in the
good feeling that
comes from learning
about our past.
Page 7
It is very important to
remember our
past,
Jessica. Kwanzaa
helps us to
celebrate the ties that
bind us to our
African heritage.
Page 8
Kwanzaa can be
celebrated in many ways.
In keeping with the
spirit of Kwanzaa,
we can wear African
dress and decorate
our home in the red,
green and black
colors that symbolize
our holiday. Red
is for our struggle,
green is for the
hills of Africa, and
black is for the
color of our people.
Page 11
Many families enjoy
celebrating the
Kwanzaa holiday with
relatives and
friends. They come
together to tell
traditional stories, to
prepare special
meals, to sing, to
dance, and to play
music. Everyone has a
wonderful time!
Why don't you invite
Sarah, Lynn and
Rebecca to celebrate
with you this year
in
Fort Wayne?
Page 12
Perhaps the most
important part of the
Kwanzaa celebration is
the study of the
seven principles. These
principles
should be learned and
practiced every
day,
Jessica, not just
during the
Kwanzaa celebration.
Page 15
There are seven candles
called the
Mishumaa Saba that
symbolize the seven
principles of Kwanzaa.
These candles
are placed in a special
candle holder
called a Kinara. We
light one candle
each day.
Page 16
With the light of the
first candle,
Jessica, we begin to
learn about the
first principle called
Umoja. It means
unity. We must attempt
to create unity
within our families,
our communities,
and our nation.
Page 19
The second candle
stands for
Kujichagulia. It means
self-determination. We
should know who
we are, stand up for
ourselves, and do
what is right.
Page 20
The third candle is lit
for Ujima. It
stands for collective
work and
responsibility. Each
member of the
family is given an ear
of corn called
vibunzi to symbolize
the African
harvest. The harvest
represents our
hard work, and without
hard work there
is no reward.
Page 23
On the fourth day,
Jessica, we light
the candle for Ujamaa.
Ujamaa means
cooperative economics.
One way to
practice the principle
of Ujamaa is to
do well in school, get
a good
education, and one day
contribute your
skills to your
community.
Page 24
The fifth candle is lit
for Nia. Nia
means purpose. Our
purpose, Jessica,
is to honor our
ancestors and our
parents. We must work
together to
restore our communities
and our
families. With purpose
we can
accomplish many
wonderful things.
Page 27
The sixth principle of
Kwanzaa is
Kuumba. It means
creativity. We can
express our creativity
in many
different ways.
Whenever possible, we
should use our
creativity to help each
other and to better our
communities.
Page 28
The last candle to be
lit on our
Kwanzaa celebration is
for Imani, which
means faith. We must
always remember
our continuing
struggle, Jessica, and
believe in ourselves,
our parents, and
our future. We must
keep the faith of
our ancestors.
Page 31
On the last day of our
holiday, we
gather together for the
Kwanzaa Karamu
or feast. On the table
is a straw mat
called a mkeka. On the
mkeka is placed
a basket filled with
mazao or fruits
and vegetables. This
act symbolizes
the product of our
unified effort.
Gifts are given to one
another.
Although the gifts are
simple, usually
a book or something
made by hand, they
are special because
they are given with
love on Kwanzaa.
Page 32
The Seven Principles of
Kwanzaa
"Umoja" - Unity
"Kujichagulia" -
Self-determination
"Ujima" - Collective
Work and Responsibility
"Ujamaa" - Cooperative
Economics
"Nia" - Purpose
"Kuumba" - Creativity
"Imani" - Faith
Page 35
