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NARRATIVES

MAKING THE PAST MEANINGFUL: and the Concept of Sankofa

The African American holiday of Kwanzaa has become an important cultural practice among millions of African American peoples throughout world African community. This is a narrative of the process of conceptualizing and institutionalizing Kwanzaa, its emergence in the thrust toward re- during the Movement of the 6O's, its relationship to the Black liberation struggle, the development and meaning of its symbols, and its communitarian vision and values as expressed in the core values of Kwanzaa, the Ngtizo Saba. by The creation of the - a specialization in African day Kwanzaa is rooted in and Studies. I began to organize and reflective of the 6O's liberation teach in the community, shar- movement, the conception of my ing my knowledge, shaping role as an activist-scholar and, circumstances, and searching the vanguard role of my after what would be good for Dr. Maulana Karenga is organization Us as a cultural the future. My activities expan- professor and chair of the nationalist structure dedicated to ded after the Watts Revolt of Department of Black Studies, creating, recreating and cir- 1965, a turning point in the California State University, Long culating African culture and the Movement and a point of Beach and creator of the African struggle for a just and good departure for my involvement in American holiday of Kwanzaa. society. "the stinggle." As an activist-scholar in I had worked in the civil the 6O's, I had felt a profound rights movement earlier, demon- need to use my knowledge in the strating against chain-stores with service of the people, and make segregation policies in the South, it available to the masses to and assisting in fundraising, improve and enrich their lives. rallies, and forums on and off This commitment to serve came campus on the meaning and from the life and lessons of great goals of the struggle. The Revolt men and women I admired and became a sign and symbol for the studied, and from the lessons need to turn inward, establish and expectations of people from community control, acquire, and my childhood. Our mother and practice what came to be called father, our immediate and Black Power. I defined the goals extended family, our friends, oxir of the as pubUc school teachers, and the a collective thrust to achieve and sheltering ancient oaks we called maintain three things: (1) self- "old folks" and "elders" all determination (freedom in the expected and predicted that I general sense and community would do something of lasting control in a specific sense), (2) value to serve our people and self-respect (self-understanding honor our family. and self-appreciation rooted in With this in mind, in 1965 paradigms from our own I left the University of California, culture), and (3) self-defense, and the doctoral (the collective capacity to end program in political with existing oppression and abuse.

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and prevent future oppression Movement was essentially Black institutionalized cultural prac- and abuse by the state, especially Power. One of its central tenets tice serves as a central way of by the police). was the need to "return to the reappropriating and reaffirming The urgency of this source," to get "Back to Black," African culture. project was underlined by the in a word, to return to all things I moved to this position assassination and sacrifice of African, especially the most and became a leader of this , and the models of important things. The focus was movement for several reasons. liberation by African countries. on recovery, reconstructing First, the civil rights struggle had The Revolt illuminated and African culture, reappropriating revealed the weaknesses of ideas framed the issues in the it, and reaffirming it as a living about assimilation. Certainly, discourse of power. The central tradition. In this context cultural we all wanted desegregation, but message was that students like practices such as renaming I and others rejected integration. me had a special obligation to oneself and one's children with Desegregation would destroy work on the project as we were, African names; wearing the barriers to the exercise of rights more idealistic, less eco- natural or Afro hair style and and free exchange, but inte- nomically vulnerable and less African clothes such as the buba, gration, as I read it, assumed that restrained by the demands of kanga and ; relearning we as persons and a people daily life. We agreed that we and learning African languages, wanted and needed to be with must dare to struggle, win, and especially Swahili; and whites to achieve and fulfill build the new moral community reinstituting African life-cycle ourselves. This, I rejected of we wanted to live in. ceremonies such as naming necessity. Second, I began to (Kutaja jina), nationalization conclude that cultural pluralism (Akika), wedding (Arusi), and was the best way to achieve To do my work and to passing (Maziko),were and are quality relationships and achieve something of lasting developed. mutually beneficial and coopera- value, I created two basic Within this thrust for re- tive exchanges in society. I had instruments, an organization Africanization, Black Studies championed cultural pluralism called Us and a theory called was established in the academy, in a letter to the editor in 1960 in Kawaida. The name Us was and the network of community the Daily Collegian at Los chosen to indicate two things: the institutions to restore and Angeles Community College. communitarian views, values, reinforce African culture was Then, my position was a liberal and practice of the organization expanded. These institutions cultural pluralist one. Now, I and our commitment to us as a included cultural centers, advocated a cultural nationalist people distinct from them, the independent schools, theaters, pluralism. Third, I emphasized rulers of the established order. art galleries, and brotherhood re-Africanization because I Kawaida, in Swahili means and sisterhood formations. Re- perceived that cultural identity tradition, but in the context of its Africanization also involved a was the most fundamental way theory, it refers to an ongoing return to itself for cultural to understand and realize synthesis of tradition and reason and spiritual revitalizaüon, and oneself. One's concept of directed toward cultural the reestablishment of mutually humanity is inescapably tied to grounding and social change. beneficial relationships and the cultural paradigms. As an Within this framework I exchanges. At the core of this African, I chose to understand conceived the project of commitment to re-Africanization and realize myself in and Kwanzaa and enumerated the was the attempt to recover and through African culture. Nguzo Saba, (The Seven recommit oneself to learning and I embraced this position Principles) the core of its living African values as an with greater fervor when I conception and practice. indispensable way to rebuild discovered the rich, varied, and From 1965 on, the and reinforce family, community, ancient character of African expression and process of the and culture. Kwanzaa as an culture. As an intellectual, I had

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been surfeited with and turned This position was argued dance), and ethos, i.e., the off by the Eurocentric approach within movement organizations. collective psychology which to human knowledge. It seemed Some organizations argued for results from practice in the other at one point that all subjects strength through education; six areas of culture. taught were openly or others for economic Kawaida maintains that surrepfitiously long and boring development; and sfill others for the quality of social practice is self-congratulatory narratives of "picking up the gun." We directly related to the quality of Europe and European peoples. I maintained that all these ways the cultural views and values needed to know and understand were necessary but not sufficient which inform and ground it. my culture and the cultures of because what was needed, as Values are defined as categories other peoples of color, but Fanon said, was a total solution of commitment and priorities especially my own. So, I on the objective as well as the which enhance or diminish detached myself from schools subjective level. Such a solution human possibilities. What one and the circles of associates and required culture, i.e., the totality considers important and places friends from the civil rights of thought and practice of a first in one's life determines the movement and turned inward people. We concluded that we quality and direcfion of one's life and toward Africa. I found, in could find guns anywhere, with both persons and peoples. both continental and diasporan especially in the hands of the These assumpfions about African cultures, models of oppressor. What was necessary, culture and values led me to human achievement and human was for the people themselves study African cultures and ask possibility that informed my to decide that struggle itself is what was the social cement that conception of self, the good life, necessary and then determine held these sociefies together and and the just, good society. Within and develop their means. Thus, gave them their humanistic this context I began my process we argued for a cultural character? Moreover, how could of re-Africanization, returning revolution to create a new logic to my own history and culture I make these ancient traditions and language of liberation and and building structures and live again? How could I use and new institutions to house and processes to achieve and spread teach others to use the past to advance our aspirafions. my views. inform and give foundation to the present and future? How^ My organization Us could I use the lessons of the past formed the vanguard in the re- We understand that the to effecfively in the history Africanization process. Us stress on culture would justify we now live? argued that culture is the key itself if it were inclusive enough My conclusion was that crisis and challenge in Black life. to deal with the demands of the core of humanistic African Moreover, Us maintained that daily life and struggle. culture is its communitarian the crisis is solved and the Therefore, Kawaida theory values, values which reaffirm challenge met by self- defined culture in its fullest sense and reinforce community and consciously overturning oneself, as the totality of thought and human flourishing. The by institution-building and by practice by which a people challenge was to assemble a set the social struggle which re- creates itself, celebrates, sustains of communitarian values which shape persons, culture, and aids and develops itself, and reflected both the best of African in the creafion of a just and good introduces itself to history and tradition and modern ethical society. Us linked the improve- humanity. It occurs at least in reasoning to establish a core set ment and enrichment of African seven fundamental areas: of values for the African American life to the rescue and history, religion (spirituality and community. Moreover, they had reconstruction of its culture ethics), social organization, to be values that spoke to the and the struggle to reshape, economic organization, polifical needs of the community and the reappropriate, and create a new organization, creative produc- demands of the struggle. Values society. tion (art, music, literature. that would enhance the people's

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sense of identity, purpose, and simply to defeat our oppressor, centrality of communitarian direction and support their but to imagine a new way of values in building and efforts to live free, full, and being human, and new reaffirming family, community meaningful lives. Such a set of paradigms of human relations and culture. Kw^anzaa was also values would have to have be and human society to bring into created to serve as a regular conceptually elasücto allow for being. Paradigms of possibility communal celebration which rich and varied interpretaüons to for Us resided in the ancient and reaffirmed and reinforced the accommodate the diversity of varied richness of African bonds between us as African thought and practice of African culture. In this context I people both nationally and peoples, and represent a core conceived and put forth the internationally. And finally, value system that could be easily Nguzo Saba (The Seven Kwanzaa was created as an act grasped and learned because of Principles) as a core Black value of self-determinaüon as a disünct its manageable number and system which reaffirms and way of being African in the meaningful focus and message. reinforces family, community world. It was conceived as a Sankofa, an Akan and culture. I developed cultural project, as a way to concept of historical recovery, Kwanzaa as a fundamental way speak a special African truth to literally means "return and to introduce, institutionalize, the world by recovering lost retrieve it," but conceptually is and spread these principles. models and memory, reviving more expansive. It requires a Kawaida theory and the Nguzo suppressed principles and recovery, the result of Saba gave form and substance to pracüces of African culture, and intellectually rigorous, culturally Kwanzaa, making it a putting them in the service of the grounded and future-focused fundamental mode of cultural struggle for liberaüon and ever research. What I wanted to do recovery and reconstrucüon. higher levels of human life. was not simply extract from the The first celebraüon in past but to discover and recover 1966 was essentially an values that pose models of Kwanzaa was created organizaüonal celebraüon with human excellence and suggest first as a fundamental way to guests and friends of Us. It set paradigms of human possibility. rescue and reconstruct African the pattern for subsequent The practice of Sankofa requires culture in the midst of a celebraüons which I outlined in constant dialog with African movement for re-Africanizafion. a typed paper and sent around culture. A central self- It was to recover a valuable and the country to other naüonalist understanding of Kawaida is ancient way that it seeks answers to the of building fundamental concerns of the family and African and human community community, to define the best of what it shaped so it means to be both African and spoke to cur- human. This dialog was rent needs and conducted inside Us and with aspirafions as other African groups, a paradigm of insütutions, and scholars, and possibility. in public and community forums Secondly, I with the masses. The central created it to dialog was inside Us, for introduce the recovery and reconstruction of Nguzo Saba African culture and its use in (The Seven enriching and expanding our Principles) lives as our central mission. and to re- Therefore, the struggle was not affirm the

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organizations. The process encouraging values which come own image and interests and included ingathering, rituals of from our own culture. pose a crifical model of family, thanksgiving; remembrance and Second, to stress Kwanzaa's community, and culture. These recommitment; and celebrations drawing and building on the best Seven Principles are: 1) Umoja of the good. As an intellectual I of our culture is to reaffirm the (Unity)—to strive for and was always concerned with need to protect and expand it. If maintain unity in the family, laying groundwork and community, nation, and setting forth a clear and race, i.e., the world definite framework, but African community; 2) I was equally concerned Kujichagulia (Self- with allow^ing flexibi- Determination)—to lity for developmental define ourselves, name change as distinct from ourselves, create for destrucfive change. In ourselves, and speak for 1966, I put forth the ourselves instead of basic framework and being defined, named content of the Kwanzaa for, and spoken for by celebration. It antici- (The Seven Principles) others. As the ancient pated and allowed for I. UMOIA(Unitr> To imve for and nuinuin unity in the í»múy. community, tuticn and Egyptians taught, to changes that reaffirmed race. 2. KUJICHACUUA(S«lf.daunnination) think with our own its basic principles and To define oundvet. name ouneivca. create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of bebig deftned. named, created for and spoken for mind, feel with our lessons, and enriched by others. 3. UJIMA (CoUeetiv» Work and Raiponsibility) own heart, see with our and expanded cele- To build and maintain our community together and make our sister's and brother's problems our problems and to solve them tocethei. own eyes, hear with brants' understanding, 4. (Coopentrre Eamomics) To build and munutn our own stores, shops >nd oUiet bnsiiicucs ind our own ears, speak appreciation, and prac- to proñt from them tocethei. 5. NIA (Furposal with our own mouth fice of the holiday. To make our coUectrre vocation the butldin« and developing of our community in order to restore oui people to their traditiotial iieatnesa. and walk with the 6. KUUMBA (Creativily) As Kwanzaa de- To do always as much a> we can. in the way we can. in order to leave strength and dignit)' of our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. veloped, I confinuously 7. IMANIiFaiih) our own person; 3) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, stressed the need for our leaders and the rtghieousncss and victory of our stnigsle. Ujima (CoUecfive Work thinking and talking and Responsibility)—to about Kwanzaa as a way build and maintain our to reaffirm and reinforce community together family, commvmity and and make our sister's culture. This way of and brother's problems approaching Kwanzaa as reaf- we respect African culture and our problems and to solve them firmation and reinforcement above all African people, we together; 4) Ujamaa (Cooperafive serves at least two purposes. must struggle to create the Economics)—to build and First, it does not deny strengths context in which both can maintain our own stores, shops, African peoples alrçiady have but flourish. While the vision, and other businesses and to stresses the ongi ag need to values, and practice of com- profit from them together. In a expand on these, .vb Nkrumah munity strengthen the people, word, to share work and wealth, says, we must "go ttrthe people; their own struggle will liberate and build and control the start with what they know and them and lay the basis for a just economy of our communit)/^; build on what they have." Thus, and good society. 5) Nia (Purpose)—to make our Kwanzaa seeks to reaffirm and I posed the core values of collective vocafion the building reinforce the internal strengths of Kwanzaa, the Nguzo Saba, as a and developing of our commun- the people by emphasizing com- system, a set of moral values by ity in order to restore our people munitarian life-affirming, struggle- which the African community to their historical greatness; 6) supporting and achievement- could reconstruct our lives in our Kuumba (Creativity)—to do

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always as much as we can in the achieve unity in thought and faith in ourselves and each other way we can to leave our practice? The other principles to constantly practice. Thus, we community more beautiful and help explain the nature, purpose, say, let us all and each have beneficial than we inherited it; and practice of unity. Unity for profound and continuing faith. and 7) Imani (Faith)—to believe and through Kujichagulia (Self- We can and will return to our with all our heart in our people, Determination), and unity own history and self-consciously our parents, our teachers, our directed toward community and step back on the stage of human leaders and the righteousness African self-determination in the history as a free, proud, and and victory of our struggle. In a cultural, economic, and political productive people. word, faith in ourselves, in our sense. It is a unity for and in Kwanzaa like all other Creator, in our mothers and freedom which is, in fact, the holidays requires symbols. The fathers, our sisters and brothers, practice of self-determination, in symbols, like the holiday itself, our grandfathers and grand- and through community. Unity, represent a synthesis of tradition mothers, our elders, our youth, in turn, requires Ujima (Collec- and reason, ancient practice and our future and faith in all that tive Work and Responsibility). modern engagement, and makes us beautiful and strong. This teaching of ancient Egypt continental African culture and We need faith in the righteous- says that the good done for African American culture. In ness and victory of our cause, others is good we, in fact, do for choosing symbols I was faith that through hard work, ourselves. In doing good, we are concerned with cultural long struggle, and a whole lot of building the moral community authenticity and relevance for love and understanding, we can we, ourselves, want to live in. We the present and the future. and will self-consciously step also commit to Ujamaa, the Certainly, being in the back on the stage of human principle and practice of midst of an historical struggle for history as a free, proud, and cooperative economics through freedom would have to be productive people. I used shared work and wealth. reflected in both the sjnnbols and Swahili because it is the most Ujamma makes all beneficiaries their interpretation. Moreover, widely spread African language and bearers of responsibility, the symbols had to reflect not and thus represented the Pan- reinforces cooperative values, only the demands of struggle, African character of my political and lays the basis for cooperative but reaffirm and reinforce the and cultural vision. For this projects. Moreover, establishing best of our cultural values. These same reason my organization Us national purpose (Nia) and would begin with the values and had introduced Swahili as the reassessing and redefining it symbols of communitarian and African language of the constantly is an imperative. This first-fruit celebrations of which Movement and fostered its use national purpose becomes our Kwanzaa was an expression. in language classes; in naming collective vocation as a people. Kwanzaa has seven basic persons; organizations and It is important that it is always symbols and two supplementary buildings; and in greetings and informed by our best moral symbols. These traditional and useful phrases. vision and values. There is the modern symbols evolved out of I constructed the order of challenge to always be creative, the life and struggle of African the principles to start with to act like the Creator, to American people. These basic Umoja (Unity) and to end with constantly bring into being the seven symbols are: 1) mazao Imani (Faith). I started with good and the beautiful, and to (crops); 2) mkeka (mat); 3) kinara Umoja (Unity) because there is strive to leave our community (the candle holder); 4) muhindi no family, community, or culture better and more beautiful than (corn); 5) zawadi (); 6) without unity. It is, of necessity, when we inherited it. This is the kikombe cha umoja (the unity the beginning and continuing principle of Kuumba. cup); and 7) mishumaa saba need. But then come questions Finally, Imani (faith) is (the seven candles). The two of unity for what, around what the principle from which all supplementary symbols are a values and practices, and how to principles are drawn. We require poster or other representation of

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the Nguzo Saba (The Seven the rootedness of the ancestral Principles) and the bendera ya principles. The lighting of the taifa (the national flag or candles is a daily ritual during standard). Kwanzaa which symbolizes The first symbol the giving both light and life to the mazao (crops), represents the principles themselves and historical roots of the holiday raising up light to lessen itself and the rewards of darkness in both the spiritual collective productive labor. The and intellectual sense, an ancient concept of Kwanzaa, as a first- African concept. As the Husia, fruit celebration, has its roots in the sacred text of ancient Egypt the communal agricultural says, "I have driven away celebrations of continental darkness so that light could be African peoples. lifted up." Mkeka (mat), the symbol Two supplementary of tradition and history, is the symbols are the Nguzo Saba and foundation for correct know- the bendera. The bendera are ledge and understanding of self, the Black, Red, and Green colors society, and the world. There- given to us by the Hon. Marcus fore, all other Kwanzaa symbols Garvey In the 6O's we reordered are placed on the mkeka, and it the colors and slightly adjusted too becomes a foundation. The their interpretation to cor- kinara (candle holder) is respond to our current needs. symbolic of our parent people, Thus, we said the colors are the continental Africans, our Black for the people. Red for our ancestors as a collective whole, continuing struggle, and Green both the African man and the for the future we shall build out African woman. The muhindi of struggle. (com) represents children and all Kwanzaa is organized the hopes and challenges around five fundamental kinds attached to them. Zawadi (gifts) of activities which reflect both its are symbolic of the seeds sown origin in the practice of first-fruit by the children (i.e., commit- celebrations and its rootedness in ments made and kept) and of the communitarian values. Regard- fruits of the labor of the parents. less of differences in language, Kikombe (the unity cup), or its name, and cultural location, full name—kikombe cha umoja, Kwanzaa and other first-fruit serves two basic functions. First, celebrations revolve around it is used to pour tambiko or these common acfivities. First of libation for the ancestors, and all, Kwanzaa is a time of second, it is the ritual drinking ingathering of the people. It is a cup to reinforce unity in the family and community. The time to come together and mishumaa saba or seven candles reinforce the bonds between us represent The Seven Principles as a people in spite of our which are the heart and spirit of diversity. Thus, Africans who Kwanzaa. The candles are are Muslim, Christian, Jew placed securely in the kinara, the (Hebrew); followers of the symbol of ancestry, to symbolize ancient African traditions of Yoruba, Maat, Dogon, Ashanti,

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Dinka, and other religious Egyptians and other African all "care about, never to forget traditions celebrate Kwanzaa. It peoples teach that the Divine, where we came from and always is a cultural holiday not a human and natural are linked; praise the bridges that carried us religious one. African culture is that harm to one is harm to all; over." And thus we embrace diverse and the home of and that good done to one must Kwanzaa, a special fime to teach irmumerable religious tradifions. and does include good done for the rich beauty of our history and Old and young reach across all. Thus African people to praise the great bridges who generations and embrace and remember and meditate on this, carried us over—Harriet find in Kwanzaa a common teach it, and cultivate the Tubman, , ground of heritage and promise. principle and practice of right Mary M. Bethune, Malcolm X, It is a special time for calling relationships with the Divine, Ida B. Wells, Martin L. King, home all family members, human and natural. Anna J. Cooper, reaching out of friends and Kwanzaa is a special fime and others. We also praise the neighbors as well as the of commemorafion of the past. It small and sturdy bridges who community at large and provides an excellent context for did not make the history books, reinforcing the bonds of family, teaching and celebrating the wear kente cloth or speak an community, and culture. And so most ancient history and culture African language, but sfill taught all are urged to reach out; in the world—African history us African values by teaching us reconcile and re-embrace each and culture. We remember to dare struggle, speak truth, do other; forget differences and Fannie Lou Hamer's statement justice, and walk in the way of celebrate commonality as family, that there are two things we must righteousness. community, and culture; and to enjoy the goodness of peaceful togetherness.

Kwanzaa is a special fime for reverence for the Creator and the creation. Therefore, its observance emphasizes spiritual grounding; rejoicing, and giving thanks for the of life, thanks for our families, our community; and our culture and the promise of our future. Because it is based on ancient African harvest celebrafions, it is also a time for giving thanks for and commit- ting ourselves to respect for nature, its beauty and bountifulness. The agricultural and harvest focus of the holiday gives an excellent context for special appreciation of nature and the universe and concern for the continued health of the earth; natural abundance; and our right relationship with the Creator, humans and nature. The ancient

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As a people conscious of water to the thirsty, clothes to the knowledge, sons and daughters our culture, we know both the naked and a boat to those of the Holocaust of Enslavement, meaning and value of memory, without one." We must be " a and authors and heirs of the the moral obligaüon to raise and father to the orphan, a husband Reaffirmation of the Sixties. The remember those who gave their to the widow, comfort to the sick question, "Am I really who I lives, love, and labor so that we and a staff of support for the am?" is a question of authen- might live fuller, freer, and more aged, a shelter to the needy, a ücity, realness, genuineness. It meaningful lives. And we teach float for the drowning and a reminds us not to mask our these to our families and ladder for those trapped in the Africanness, distort our appear- community and honor the pit (of despair)." ance, deny the rich and varied ancestors by living their best and In this special time of beauty of our people, or do most beautiful lessons. More- recommitment to our highest anything that damages our over, we take seriously the ideals, Kwanzaa is especially a inherent human dignity or obligation given us in the time of sober assessment. The demean our history as an African teachings of Mary McLeod major day for this is on the last person and people. Bethune who said "We are day of Kwanzaa, first, The last question—"Am heirs and custodians of a great but all through the holiday one I all I ought to be?" is a question legacy," and we must bear the is challenged to think about what of ethical and historical burden and glory of that legacy it means to be African. Those obligation. It reminds us that as with strength, dignity and rooted in African culture an African people who are determinaüon. reaffirm that, above all, being fathers and mothers of human Kwanzaa is a time of African is being culturally and civilization, we must always recommitment to our highest ethically grounded. Being strive for the highest level of ideals. It is a üme of focusing on committed to culture and its achievement; that as sons and thought and practice of our ethical core that teaches us to daughters of the Holocaust of highest cultural vision and struggle for liberaüon constantly Enslavement; we must oppose values which in essence are and ever higher levels of human all forms of human oppression— ethical values—values of love, life, to speak truth, do justice, especially , , sisterhood, brotherhood, and love rightness, serve the people classism; all forms of enslave- respect for the transcendent, the and realize that "everyday is a ment, external and internal; and human person, for elders, and donation to eternity and even we must remember and honor nature. There the Nguzo Saba one hour is a contribuüon to the the millions lost by completing (The Seven Principles) serve as future." their struggle for freedom and by the central focus of Kwanzaa. We embrace Kwanzaa as living the full and meaningful These communitarian values are a time to ourselves and to ask lives they intended for us. both cultural and ethical and members of our families and And finally, as authors enrich our lives as such. others three basic questions and heirs of the Reaffirmation of We are, in the final which says we all the 6O's, we must not let our analysis, defined by our values have to ask and answer. They oppressor be our teacher; we and the practice to which they are: "Who am I?" "Am I really must create and put forth, out of lead. Thus, Kwanzaa teaches us who I am?" and "Am I all I ought our own understanding of our to remember and act on the to be?" "Who am I?" is a history and culture, a new ancient African teachings of question of idenüty. It reminds paradigm of what it means to be Maat which say, "Speak truth, do us we are an African people— human, of hiunan relaüons, and jusüce and walk in the way of fathers and mothers of humanity of the just and good righteousness." The Husia says and human civilization who mulücultural society. we must always show preference taught the world in the midst of Kwanzaa is a time for for the most vulnerable among Nile Valley civilizaüon some of celebraüon of the good, the good us, "give food to the hungry. the basic disciplines of human of life, family, community.

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culture, friendship, the grows among African people in embrace as a cultural legacy of bountifulness of the earth, the the U.S., Africa, Brazil and other significant and lasting value. wonder of the universe, the countries of South America, Therefore, it has become a work elder, the young, the human Canada, the Caribbean, and which contributes both to my person in general, our history, Britain and other European self-definition and my self- our struggle for liberation and countries. Last year it began in understanding. Moreover, it ever higher levels of human life. India. And the question is stands as a central part of my Celebration is a ceremony, always raised, "why does it overall work as an activist- commemoration, a respectful grow among African people?" scholar; my development of marking, an honoring, a praising The answer, of course, lies in Kawaida theory and building and a rejoicing. This and more how it speaks to them; serves the organizafion Us out of which is our holiday of Kwanzaa, their needs; and points to ways Kwanzaa emerges; my work in ancient and modern thought and of celebrating, and reinforcing the cooperative founding and practice, a joyful achievement family, community and culture. development of Black Studies, and an ongoing and unending In fact, as I have so often stated, including contributions to the promise. Kwanzaa grows among African concept of Afrocentricity and my Activities must be people because it speaks to their pioneering work in ancient collective, cultural, and need and appreciation for its Egyptian ethical philosophy as a reaffirming and always honor to cultural vision and life-affirming critical field in Africana Studies; the dignity of our people and values, values which celebrate my general Sankofa project of culture. The celebration of our and reinforce family, community, historical recovery and history and struggle, our and culture. It grows because it reconstruction as expressed in ancestors, our love, the awesome represents an important way the development of rites of beauty of nature, the promise of Africans speak their own special passage programs and other life- life, and the achievement of hard cultural truth in a mulficultural cycle rituals; the creation of the work, are of necessity, called world. It grows because it Simba Youth Movement as a forth. Men and women who are reaffirms a rich and ancient model of possibility and rooted in their culture model and tradition which lays claim to the promise; my political organizing mirror the best of what it means first religious, ethical, and and activities in and of Black to be African, and build a scientific texts and the united fronts and national beaufiful and beneficial future. introduction of some of the basic leadership formations; and They know that every word and disciplines of human knowledge finally, my development of the act must teach and help us to in the Nile Valley. It grows Nguzo Saba which are used as a move effectively in the history because it reinforces our fundamental theoretical and we are now living. These persons rootedness in our own culture in value orientation in literally of culture know that Kwanzaa is a rich and meaningful way. And hundreds of organizations part of that living history and it grows because it brings us around the country. Certainly, I rich tradifion and play a vital role together from all countries, all feel fortunate, even blessed, to in celebrating and reaffirming religious traditions, all classes, see my work established and the legacy of our history and the all ages and generations, and all nourishing in my life time. For promise of our future. political persuasions on the so many who deserved this did common ground of our not see it. And yet I am always Africanness in all its historical conscious of the fact that there is Each year has seen the and current diversity and unity. sfiU so much more to do, because further growth of the holiday of When I see the growth of as the ancestors taught, "it is Kwanzaa with an estimated 18 Kwanzaa and its rootedness good to work for the future," million African people among African people, I am because the "good we do for celebrating it throughout the obviously pleased. It is clearly a others we are actually doing for world African community. It celebration which millions ourselves" and because "every

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day is a donation to eternity and Karenga, Maulana. (1989) The Karenga, Maulana. (1990b) even one hour is a contribution African American holiday of Reconstructing Kemetic culture: to the future." n Kwanzaa: A celebration of family, Papers, perspectives, projects. Los community andculture. University Angeles: University of Sankore of Sankore Press. Press. jTK:i;: ''>-Í;Í ••t ;• ;^- REFERENCES Karenga, Maulana. (1976) Afro- Karenga, Maulana. (1984) Asante, Molefi. (1987) The : An Selections from the Husia: Sacred Afrocentric idea, : alternative analysis. Unpublished wisdom of ancient Egypt. Los Temple University. dissertation. United States Angeles: University of Sankore International University, San Press. Asante, Molefi. (1990) Kemet, Diego. .^ .^,_ Afrocentricity and knowledge, Malcolm X. (1965) The Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. Karenga, Maulana. (1990a) The autobiography of Malcolm X. New book of comingforth by day: The York: Grove Press. Carnüchael, Stokely and Charles ethics of the declarations of Hamilton. (1967) Black Power: innocence. Los Angeles: Menkiti, Ifeanyi. (1984) Person The politics of liberation. New University of Sankore Press. and community in African York: Random House. traditional thought. In Richard Karenga, Maulana. (1988) Black Wright (ed.), , Carson, Claybourne. (1981) In Studies and the problematic of Washington, D.C: University struggle. Cambridge, MA: paradigm: The philosophical Press of America. Harvard University Press. dimension. Journal of Black Morenz, Siegfried. (1984) Drewal, Henry J., John Studies, 18,4 (June). -^ /r i-ban Egyptian religion. Ithaca: Cornell Pemberton III and Rowland Karenga, Maulana. (1993) University. Abiodun. (1989) Yoruba: Nine Introduction to Black studies. Los centuries of African art and thought. Angeles: University of Sankore National Education Association. New York: Center for African Press. (1974) The legacy of Mary McLeod Art. . Bethune.Washington, D.C: NEA. Karenga, Maulana. (1980) Evanzz, Karl. (1992) The Judas Kawaida theory: An introductory Niangoran-Bouah, G. (1984) The factor: The plot to kill Malcolm X. outline. Los Angeles: University Akan world of gold weights: New York: Thunder Mouth of Sankore Press. Abstract design weights. Volume I, Press. Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Les Karenga, Maulana. (1986) Kemet Nouvelles Editions Africaines. Fanon, Frantz. (1967) Black skin. and the African world view. Los White masks . New York: Grove Angeles, University of Sankore Nyerere, Julius. (1969) Freedom Press. Press. and /Uhuru na Ujamaa,. New York: Oxford University Frankfort, Henri. (1948) Kingship Karenga, Maulana. (1977) Press. and the Gods. Chicago: Kwanzaa: origin, concepts, University of Chicago Press. practice. Los Angeles: Kawaida Pinkney, Alphonso. (1976) Red, Gendzier, Irene. (1973) Frantz Publications. backandgreen: in Fanon: A critical study. New the U.S. New York: Cambridge Karenga, Maulana. (1994) Maat, University Press. York: Pantheon Books. the moral ideal in ancient Egypt: A Gyekye, Kwame. (1987) An essay study in classical African ethics. Toure, Sekou. (1958) Toward full on African philosophical thought: Unpublished dissertation. re-Africanization. Paris: Presence The Akan conceptual scheme. New University of Southern Africaine. York: Cambridge University California, Los Angeles. Williams, Juan. (1987) Eyes on the Press. :. I, prize. New York: Viking Press.

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