{"id":22630,"date":"2022-12-13T13:34:09","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T01:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kamiapp.com\/?p=22630"},"modified":"2022-12-14T10:17:50","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T22:17:50","slug":"celebrating-kwanzaa-with-your-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.kamiapp.com\/blog\/celebrating-kwanzaa-with-your-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Kwanzaa With Your Class"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Why celebrate Kwanzaa?<\/h4>\n\n

Celebrating different cultures matters. All students should feel safe to express who they are and share their beliefs, values, and traditions. There are roughly 42 million people who identify as African American in the US, and African American children account for around 15% of school students. Let\u2019s take this opportunity to celebrate them, their history, and their culture.<\/p>\n\n

We can all learn from different backgrounds and cultural perspectives, and when students feel a sense of belonging at school, they are likely to be more engaged and work to achieve their goals.<\/p>\n\n

Providing meaningful ways to celebrate cultural diversity gives students the chance to share their unique backgrounds and feel a sense of self-worth. So, let\u2019s learn about and celebrate Kwanzaa!<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Free Kwanzaa Templates<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Principles of Kwanzaa<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Principles of Kwanzaa Mix & Match<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kwanzaa Candle Coloring Sheet<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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See these and more in the Kami Library<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is Kwanzaa?<\/h4>\n

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Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga<\/a> (a professor of Africana studies, activist, and author) and activist Hakim Jamal<\/a> in 1965. It\u2019s an African American holiday celebrating African heritage, Pan-African culture, and African American culture. The two men founded an organization named The Organization Us<\/em><\/a>, which aimed \u201cto provide a philosophy… [to] inspire a personal and social practice… making [people] self-conscious agents of their own life and liberation… the building of a moral community and… what it means to be both African and human in the fullest sense.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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The name Kwanzaa<\/em> comes from the Swahili<\/a> phrase, \u201cmatunda ya kwanza<\/em>,\u201d which translates to \u201cfirst fruits\u201d in English. According to Keith A. Mayes<\/a>, Dr. Maulana Karenga was inspired by the cultural traditions of African harvest.<\/p>\n

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Kwanzaa <\/em>is not a religious holiday, but the celebration of the Nguzo Saba<\/em><\/a> (Seven Principles of Kwanzaa) created by The Organization Us. <\/em>It\u2019s celebrated between December 26 and January 1.<\/p>\n

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The Seven Principles (by Dr. Karenga)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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  1. Umoja <\/em>(Unity) \u2014 To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.<\/li>\n\n
  2. Kujichagulia<\/em> (Self-determination) \u2014 To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.<\/li>\n\n
  3. Ujima <\/em>(Collective work and responsibility) \u2014 To build and maintain our community together. To make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and solve them together.<\/li>\n\n
  4. Ujamaa <\/em>(Cooperative economics) \u2014 To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.<\/li>\n\n
  5. Nia <\/em>(Purpose) \u2014 To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.<\/li>\n\n
  6. Kuumba <\/em>(Creativity) \u2014 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.<\/li>\n\n
  7. Imani <\/em>(Faith) \u2014 To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    How is Kwanzaa celebrated?<\/h4>\n

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    It\u2019s important to note that families celebrate Kwanzaa differently; however, there are some common features. Families often decorate their houses with art related to Pan-Africanism or the family\u2019s specific African heritage. Common decorations include the Pan-African<\/a> tricolor, African national flags<\/a>, kente<\/a>, the wearing of kaftans<\/a>, and fresh fruit representing African idealism.<\/p>\n

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    Kwanzaa ceremonies typically include drumming<\/a>, varied musical selections that honor African ancestry, and a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness. Children show gratitude to their ancestors, and libations are shared between family members using a Kikombe Cha Umoja <\/em>(The Kwanzaa Unity Cup).<\/em><\/p>\n

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    During the week-long celebration of Kwanzaa, mishumaa saba <\/em>(seven candles) are placed in the kinara (candlestick holder) \u2014 three red candles on the left, three green candles on the right, and a single black candle in the center. The word kinara<\/em> is a Swahili<\/a> word that means candle holder. <\/em>The first kinara was created by Maulana Karenga<\/a> in 1966 and was based on the Jewish Hanukkah menorah<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    During the week of Kwanzaa, a new candle is lit on the kinara<\/em> each day. The black candle in the center is lit on the first day (and symbolizes the African<\/a> people), the three red candles on the left are lit on the second, third, and fourth day (representing the struggle of African peoples), then the three green candles on the right are lit on the fifth, sixth, and seventh day. Each day of Kwanzaa, and therefore each candle, is dedicated to the contemplation of one of the Seven Principles.<\/p>\n

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    Symbols of Kwanzaa such as the kinara,<\/em> and mazao <\/em>(crops) or mahindi <\/em>(ear of corn), and zawadi <\/em>(gifts) are placed on the mkeka <\/em>(ceremonial mat). This practice is similar to that of Harvest Festival with the first fruits of the harvest being offered as symbols of gratitude.<\/p>\n

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    On the sixth or the last day of Kwanzaa, <\/em>families enjoy a karamu<\/em> (feast), where they prepare food specific to their culture and heritage.<\/p>\n

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    Ideas for the classroom<\/h4>\n

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    Don\u2019t worry if this is your first Kwanzaa, celebrating Kwanzaa in your classroom is a great way to expand your students\u2019 knowledge of different cultures and is an opportunity for African, African American, and students of African heritage to share their experiences and insight.<\/p>\n

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    Here are some ideas for your classroom:<\/p>\n

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