Happy Kwanzaa! Habari Gani! Kuumba!
Kuumba (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.
Harambee!
Harambee!
Harambee!
Harambee!
Harambee!
Harambee!
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
One of the main things that stops people from bringing their dreams to fruition is a lack of confidence.When you are confident, you know you will handle whatever comes up in the best way you can and move on. Regardless of what happens, you will still be whole and complete unto yourself.
Confidence is also knowing that we were all born with the same inherent worth and that doesn't change based on income, status, or what others might say.Decide what you want in life and go for it. Don't settle for less than you really want. Say no to what you don't want and yes to those things/people who are in alignment with you and your values.
EXCERPTED FROM the InnerSelf.com article:Confidence in Living Your Dreamsby Stacey Mayo.TO READ MORE of this excerpt, go tohttp://www.innerself.com/Lifestyle_Changes/confidence.htm
And another thing...
Go for what you want in 2006. It may seem selfish, but I'm doing me from now on. Most women, especially Southern women such as me, are socialized to place others first, be nurturing and all that jazz. That's admirable and everything but I can be a better me for everyone else if I make sure I do me first. it's kinda like those airplane emergency instructions about the oxygen mask that drops down. You are to put the mask on your self first and then assist a young child or someone who may not be able to.
Well, I've already done my oxygen mask thing, kicked the old workaholic habit and I'm doing me. My true friends will understand and those who don't, don't matter. Let me back that up a bit, my true friends will be with me. Oh yeah, since my sister's getting a divorce, we may even go back to our Friday Happy Hour thing. And, I'm gonna spend more time away from my computer. You know, get out and enjoy the beaches and Florida sunshine the way most tourists think we do.
So, until we meet again, just chillax (chill and relax). Peace and Love.
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Inspiration
The fourth principle of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics). To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
We must form a strong, viable economic base to survive and thrive as a people. To be successful we must become entrepreneurs as opposed to only consumers. We must own businesses in our community and outside of our community. If necessary, we must sacrifice to pay a little more to keep our community businesses afloat. We must also demand good customer service and a good product from those bussinesses.
A strong economic base will lead to power in other life areas such as politics, education and culture.
Harambee! Harambee! Harambee! Harambee!
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
I AM MY BROTHER’S AND SISTER’S KEEPER. To solve the problems in our communities and to establish strong familial foundations only requires us to work together. Closely related to the first principle -- umoja (unity) and the second – kujichagulia (self-determination), this principle teaches us that no one is going help us but us.
Before Black people in America became crippled by integration and welfare programs, our communities were strong and self-sustaining. The communities were separate from the white majority. There were also disparities in the education system as far textbooks, equipment, etc. but there was way more learning going on for Black folks than what’s happening today. There were also fewer distractions and much more discipline.
Although folks can live wherever their money takes them nowadays, the truth is we have abandoned our own for a mortgage payment and private schools for our children that we can barely afford. Rather than seizing the opportunity to make ours better, we chose to run because white is better in our minds. Let’s just be real, Black folks. Consciously or sub-consciously, that’s what we’ve been saying and teaching our children for many generations. The sooner we wake up and do something about it, the better off we’ll be. The few rich Blacks like Oprah and Bob Johnson won’t change that reality.
Harambee! Harambee! Harambee!
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
Labels: Black Culture
Kwanzaa is NOT a substitute for Christmas.
Kwanzaa is NOT an African celebration.
Kwanzaa was first celebrated December 1966 and was developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga. With many similarities to exisiting celebrations and traditions, Kwanzaa is based on seven community and life-building principles. These positive principles are universal and multicultural in their positive uplift of a people or community.
NGUZO SABA(The Seven Principles)
Umoja (Unity)To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Nia (Purpose)To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Kuumba (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.
Imani (Faith)To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
The Symbols of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplemental ones. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement.
The basic symbols in Swahili and then in English are:
Mazao (The Crops)These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.
Mkeka (The Mat)This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.
Kinara (The Candle Holder)This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people -- continental Africans.
Muhindi (The Corn)This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.
Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles)These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.
Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup)This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
Zawadi (The Gifts)These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
The two supplemental symbols are:Bendera (The Flag)The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are the colors of the Organization Us, black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. It is based on the colors given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world.
Nguzo Saba Poster (Poster of The Seven Principles)
Greetings
The greetings during Kwanzaa are in Swahili. Swahili is a Pan-African language and is chosen to reflect African Americans' commitment to the whole of Africa and African culture rather than to a specific ethnic or national group or culture. The greetings are to reinforce awareness of and commitment to the Seven Principles. It is: "Habari gani?" and the answer is each of the principles for each of the days of Kwanzaa, i.e., "Umoja", on the first day, "Kujichagulia", on the second day and so on.
Gifts
Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.
Colors and Decorations
The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green as noted above and can be utilized in decorations for Kwanzaa. Also decorations should include traditional African items, i.e., African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects, harvest symbols, etc.
Check out:
© VANESSA BYERS, 2005 , Vanessa: Unplugged
Labels: Black Culture
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