The seven items of often set on a Kwanzaa table, with the kinara, in the house:
Mkeka: The Mat – A woven mat made of fabric, raffia, or paper. Kikombe cha Umoja: The Unity Cup – Represents family and community. Mazao: The Crops – Fruit and vegetables from the harvest.
How do you decorate a table for Kwanzaa?
Place the symbols of Kwanzaa throughout your home by decorating with ears of dried corn and other traditional African crops. Display a kinara — a seven-branch candle holder representing African ancestors — on a woven mat placed on a table or another prominent location in the house.
What do the Kwanzaa candles sit in?
The kinara, a symbolic candleholder, sits in the center of the Kwanzaa table. Its seven arms, or holders, support seven candles: one black candle in the center, with three red candles to the left and three green candles to the right.
What are the 7 symbols of Kwanzaa?
The primary symbols of Kwanzaa are the seven candles (Mishumaa Sabaa), which represent the seven principles (more on that below), the candle holder (Kinara), unity cup (Kikombe cha Umoja), placemat (Mkeka), crops (Mazao), corn (Muhindi), and gifts (Zawadi).
What do you do on each day of Kwanzaa?
Each day a different principle is discussed, and each day a candle is lit on the kinara (candleholder). On the first night, the center black candle is lit, and the principle of umoja, or unity is discussed. On the final day of Kwanzaa, families enjoy an African feast, called karamu.
How do I set up kinara?
Place a kinara as the centerpiece of your mat. The black candle, which represents the people, goes in the middle. The three red candles, which represent continuing struggle, belong on the left. And the green candles, which represent the future, go on the right.
What decorations do you use for Kwanzaa?
If you’d like to follow the traditional customs, some special decorations you should include in your decor are the mkeka mat (which symbolizes a strong foundation), the kinara (which is a candle holder featuring red, black, and green candles), corn (which represents the harvest and fertility), and a wood chalice (which
What is the Kwanzaa table called?
Mkeka | Straw Mat
A traditional Kwanzaa table adorned with a kinara, umoja cup, fruits, and a gift.
Do you give gifts every day of Kwanzaa?
The holiday is also filled with storytelling, music, food, and, of course, gifts! The gifts are generally given among family members on the last day of Kwanzaa, January 1, and are typically creative, artistic, and often handmade items that focus on African heritage and promote the betterment of the Black community.
What does corn represent in Kwanzaa?
Muhindi (Moo-heen-dee) – The corn represents African children and the promise of their future. One ear of corn is set out for each child in the family. In a family without children, one ear is set out symbolically to represent the children of the community.
What foods are eaten during Kwanzaa?
Main dishes are always the highlight of dinner. For your Kwanzaa meal, try African creole, Cajun catfish, jerk chicken, or Groundnut stew, a tasty dish from West Africa. For your side we’ve got many traditional Kwanzaa recipes, including Jollof rice, collard greens, Kwanzaa slaw, grits, beans and rice, and okra.
What do the 7 candles of Kwanzaa mean?
The seven candles (Mishumaa Saba): These represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa – unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
What do the 3 colors of Kwanzaa represent?
The colors of Kwanzaa are a reflection of the Pan-African movementrepresenting “unity” for peoples of African descent worldwide: Black for the people, red for the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry, and green for the rich land of Africa.
What does the black candle mean in Kwanzaa?
Happy Kwanzaa
The black candle represents the first principle Umoja (unity) and is placed in the center of the kinara. The red candles represent the principles of Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics) and Kuumba (creativity) and are placed to the left of the black candle.
How do you greet Kwanzaa?
General Kwanzaa Wishes
“Habari Gani! “Heri za Kwanzaa!” (Swahili for “Happy Kwanzaa!”)“Sending warm wishes for a joyful Kwanzaa!”“Thinking of you during Kwanzaa and sending happy wishes your way!”“May this Kwanzaa be an especially meaningful one for your whole beautiful family.”“Joyous Kwanzaa!
What does the principle Ujima mean?
The third Kwanzaa principle Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), “to build and maintain our community, and make. our sisters’ and brothers’ problems our problems, and solve them together.” Ujima recognizes and respects collective work, struggle and progress.
What are the principles of blackness?
These principles consist of umoja (unity), kujichangulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith).
