About Kwanzaa
Nguzo Saba — The Seven Principles
The core of the Kwanzaa holiday is its Seven Principles, one for each day, collectively called the Nguzo Saba. On each day we focus on one specific way that we can grow and empower ourselves as African American people. Below you’ll find for each day and principle the symbol, name, translation, date, and definition. Watch last year’s daily live stream for deeper discussion!
Umoja
Unity
December 26
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
The symbol is a Dagi knot – a Pan African symbol of unity found in several African cultures, i.e., Yoruba, Hausa, Bushongo, etc.
Kujichagulia
Self Determination
December 27
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
The symbol is an Ahenwa – The Akan throne, symbol of national identity, cultural groundedness and rightful governance.
Ujima
Collective Work and Responsibility
December 28
To build and maintain our community together and to make our Brother’s and sister’s problems, our problems and to solve them together.
The symbol is an Akoma ntoaso – the Adinkra symbol of shared effort and obligation.
Ujamaa
Cooperative Economics
December 29
To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
The symbol is two interlocking half circles – the Nsibidi symbol of togetherness and family.
Nia
Purpose
December 30
To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
The symbol is the heiroglyph Nefer – Ancient Egyptian symbol of beauty and good.
Kuumba
Creativity
December 31
To do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful than when we inherited it.
The symbol is the seven vibrations of divine creation – the Dogon symbol of creativity.
Imani
Faith
January 1
To believe with all our hearts in our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
The symbol is the ancient Egyptian double symbol of the ankh (life) and djed pillar (stability, endurance) serves here as a symbol of steadifastness in commitment to the Good, the Right, and the Beautiful in life.