African Dimensions Collective: Kwanzaa

	Kwanzaa Ceremonies and Celebrations
		USING THE NGUZO SABA African Dimensions Collective can plan or enhance your celebration with music, dance, songs , stories and community participation. Our involvement in Kwanzaa is not a performance but the teaching , sharing and participation of what the African culture has willed to us and expects of us. " Celebrate, Celebrate..Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa !".
	What Is Kwanzaa?
	Kwanzaa is not an alternative to Christmas , or a holiday or the "Black Christmas". Kwanzaa is a Kiswahili word meaning "first". In our case, we will refer to it as "first fruits", a time for giving praises to the Creator and the Ancestors for what one has hopes for in the forthcoming year. Kwanzaa has it's foundation in the harvest festivals celebrated all over Africa in thanks for the coming of a new season. Kwanzaa is represented by it's seven principles of Nguzo Saba
	Nguza Saba - The Seven Principles Of Kwanzaa
	Umoja (oo-moe-juh), "Unity": To strive and maintain unity in the family, community, and nation. Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-lee-uh), "Self Determination": To define, name and speak for ourselves, instead of being defined, named and spoken for by others. Ujimaa (oo-gee-mah), "Collective Work & Responsibility": To build and maintain our community together and to make our brothers and sisters issues our issues and to solve them together. Ujamaa (oo-jah-mah), " Cooperative Economics": To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other business's and to profit from them together. Nia (nee-uh), "Purpose": To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (koo-oom-bah), "Creativity": To do always as much as we can, in any way that we can, in order to leave our communities more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Imani (ee-mah-nee), "Faith": To believe with all our hearts in our Ancestors, our people, our parents, our family, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of struggle under God.

	Kwanzaa also has seven symbols. These symbols are instructive and inspirational objects that reinforce desirable principles, concepts and practices.
	The Seven Basic Symbols Of Kwanzaa
	Mazao (muh-zouw), " Crops, Fruits and Vegetables": Symbolizes the rewards of collective work. Mkeka (m-kay-kah), "Place mat": Symbolizes tradition and history which form the foundation upon which correct knowledge and true understanding are built. Kinara (ki-nah-rah) "Candleholder": Symbolic of the continental Africans, our parent people and our Ancestors as a collective whole. Vibunzi (vi-boon-zee), "Dried Ears Of Corn": Symbolizes the children within the household and their potential to grow into positive, mature, respectful, caring adults who reproduce the same. Zawadi (zuh-wah-dee), "Gifts": Given as a reward for commitments made and kept and to reinforce personal growth and achievement which benefits the collective. Kikombe Cha Umoja (ki-kom-bay tcha- oo-moe-jah), " The Command Cup": Symbolizes Unity and is used to pour Tambiko(libation) in the direction of the four winds-north, south, east and west- in the remembrance of the Ancestors and then passed around to family and guests to promote Oneness. Mishumaa Saba (mi-shoo-mah sah-bah), "The Seven Candles": Representative of the Nguzo Saba(7 principles) which are at the heart of the value system that is the Foundation of Kwanzaa.