A source of abundance for families in East Austin
Kuumba (koo-oom-bah)!
On the sixth day of Kwanzaa, December 31, we celebrate Creativity.
To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
The seven vibrations of divine creation – the Dogon symbol of creativity
Today we light a red candle symbolizing Kuumba, one of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Nia (nee-ah)!
On the fifth day of Kwanzaa, December 30, we celebrate Purpose.
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
The heiroglyph Nefer – Ancient Egyptian symbol of beauty and good.
Today we light a green candle symbolizing Nia, one of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Ujamaa (oo-ja-mah)!
On the fourth day of Kwanzaa, December 29, we celebrate Cooperative Economics.
To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Two interlocking half circles – the Nsibidi symbol of togetherness and family.
Today we light a red candle symbolizing Ujamaa, one of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Ujima (oo-gee-mah)!
On the third day of Kwanzaa, December 28, we celebrate Collective Work & Responsibility.
To build and maintain our community together and make our sibling’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
Akoma ntoaso – the Adinkra symbol of shared effort and obligation
Today we light a green candle symbolizing Ujima, one of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-lee-ah)!
On the second day of Kwanzaa, December 27, we celebrate self-determination.
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
Ahenwa, the Akan throne, is symbol of national identity, cultural groundedness and rightful governance.
Today we light a red candle symbolizing Kujichagulia, one of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Umoja (oo-moe-jah)!
On the first day of Kwanzaa, December 26, we celebrate unity.
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
The dagi knot, pictured above, is a Pan African symbol of unity found in several African cultures (Yoruba, Hausa, Bushongo, and more).
Today we light a black candle symbolizing Umoja, the first principle of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) that represent a guide for daily living to be practiced throughout the year.
Harambee! Let’s all pull together!
Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from December 26 thru January 1, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.
Like Freedom Schools, St James’ Episcopal Church Austin, and Welcome Table, Inc., Kwanzaa is a story of self-determination. Kwanzaa started during a time when people in the US weren’t allowed to celebrate the traditions or languages or faith of the African diaspora, nor encouraged to learn about our rich and diverse heritage.
Today we uplift the Nguzo Saba, seven principles that represent a guide for daily living studied during Kwanzaa to be practiced throughout the year.
Habari gani? (Swahili for what’s the news) is the official greeting spoken during the 7 days of Kwanzaa. The response is the principle of the day.
Click here to learn more about Kwanzaa.
And be sure to visit this blog daily from December 26 to Jan 1, to learn about the Kwanzaa principle of the day.
And Sunday, December 26, 11:30 am – 12 pm, join St James’ Episcopal Church and the Union of Black Episcopalians – Myra McDaniel Chapter for the annual Kwanzaa Celebration. Participate in-person (masks required) or online (Zoom).
After another year of uncertainty and loss, your holiday season may continue to look different than it did in times past, but in this challenging moment, we have more reason than ever to be grateful for every season—and every day—we get to spend with the people who mean most to us.
We are grateful for you.
Whatever your holiday celebrations look like this year, we hope you and your loved ones are safe, healthy, and warm, and we look forward to doing more good and vital work with you in 2022. Together we can make a difference in ourselves, our families, our community, our nation, and our world.
Join CDF Freedom Schools® Austin as we celebrate family, community, and culture with the Carver Museum and Cultural Center for the annual community Kwanzaa Celebration & Ujamaa Marketplace held on
Wednesday, December 29, 4 pm to 8:30 PM
at the
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina St.
Austin, TX 78702
Admission is free and open to the public. Bring the whole family to this intergenerational event!
Stop by the Freedom Schools booth outside from 4 pm to 6pm to make a free Kwanzaa craft. Shop and explore the Buy Black Vendors’ Outdoor Marketplace. Enter a drawing to win a copy of the book One Hen, a gift from CDF Freedom Schools Austin.
Then join us for the evening, from 7pm to 8:30 pm program inside Boyd Vance Theatre for the evening Kwanzaa program, featuring performances and Kwanzaa candle lighting, along with Freedom Schools cheers and chants along with a read aloud, featuring some of our Freedom Schools scholars and our guest reader Trina Robertson (Welcome Table, Inc. board member) reading One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway.
(This Freedom Schools event is supported in part by the Union of Black Episcopalians – Myra McDaniel chapter.)