Thursday, December 30, 2010

Day 6 - Kuumba - Creativity

What Kuumba Means...
Strive for discipline, dedication, and achievement in all you do.
Dare struggle and sacrifice and gain the strength that comes from this.
Build where you are and dare leave a legacy that will last as long as the sun shines and the water flows.

Practice daily Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani.
May the year's end meet us laughing, and stronger.
May our children honor us by following our example in love and struggle.
And at the end of next year, may we sit together again, in larger numbers, with greater achievement and closer to liberation and a higher level of life.
On this, the sixth day of Kwanzaa, we focus on kuumba (creativity) and "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."

I was always taught that we all have talents. Are you discovering, developing and using your talents? Here are some resources that may help you do so:

* Think creatively about the world's problems and how to solve them.

* Use your talents to serve your community, and we all benefit.

* Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

* Be the person you want to be.

You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed - Maya Angelou—author, poet, playwright, stage and screen performer, and director

What we did....

Nothing. Kuumba falls on New years Eve and is supposed to be a feast of the end of the year and celebrating family and embracing creativity. Honestly, the idea behind it saddened me so I pretty much just avoided it. No family or friends other than me and the kids were there to bring in the New Year together and it just made me realize more what we don't have. Both the kids asked me excitedly "Is it Kwanzaa?" and Mani said, "I can't wait for Kwanzaa!" but I just wasn't up to it sadly. We had that book we were making of the & principles but never finished it because there is no one to give it to. Rion and I just watched "Clash of the Titans" and brought New Years in together and crashed at 12:05.
Our Last Family Pic of 2010!

Day 5 - Nia - PURPOSE

On this the fifth day of Kwanzaa, we are asked to ponder NIA, that is, Purpose. Think what it is you were put here for? For surely you were not made for naught. How shall you make your mark? What is it that you, uniquely, have to offer in return for the gift of life bequeathed to you by God and the ancestors? What is it that you can strive for, that will help, not only you, but your family, and above all your community? And is that not the basic "purpose" of the entire week of Kwanzaa? To give us time to think, yes think, about where we are, and where we are headed, and how we can work together to get there as one. NIA means purpose! What is it that you propose to do with this precious life that has been given to you


"The sun has a purpose. The moon has a purpose. The snow has a purpose. Cows have a purpose. You were born for a purpose. You have to find your purpose. Go to school. Learn to read and write.... What is your purpose, your occupation? Find your purpose.... " This was said by a great man who knew his purpose named Muhammad Ali


Born Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17, 1942, at Louisville, Kentucky, Muhammad Ali began boxing at the age of 12. A white policeman named Joe Martin featured Ali on his early television show, "Tomorrow's Champions," and started him working out at Louisville's Columbia Gym. An African American trainer named Fred Stoner taught Ali the science of boxing, instructing him to move with the grace and subtlety of a dancer.

Ali built an impressive amateur record which led him to both the national Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and Golden Gloves championships. At the age of 18 he competed in the 1960 Olympic games held at Rome, Italy, and won the gold medal in the light-heavyweight division. This led to a contract with a twelve member group of millionaires called the Louisville Sponsors Group, the most lucrative contract negotiated by a professional in the history of boxing. He worked his way through a string of professional victories, employing a style that combined speed with devastating punching power, described by one of his handlers as the ability to "float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee."

Ali's flashy style of boasting and rhyming and out-spoken self-promotion got considerable media attention as he moved toward a chance to contend for the world heavyweight boxing championship. When he began to write poems predicting the outcome of his many bouts he became known by the another name: "The Louisville Lip."

This is the legend of Cassius Clay,
The most beautiful fighter in the world today.
He talks a great deal, and brags indeed-y,
Of a muscular punch that's incredibly speed-y.

Clay swings with his left, Clay swings with his right,
Look at young Cassius carry the fight
Liston keeps backing, but there's not enough room,
It's a matter of time till Clay lowers the boom

Both the attention and his skill as a fighter paid off, and on February 15, 1964, at Miami, Florida, when he was only 22 years old, he fought and defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship of the world.
On April 28, 1967, Ali was drafted into military service during the Vietnam War. As a Muslim and a conscientious objector he refused to serve, claiming an exemption as a minister of the Black Muslim religion. The press turned against him, calling him "unpatriotic, loudmouthed, and arrogant." Although he had not been charged or convicted for violating the Selective Service Act, the New York State Athletic Commission and World Boxing Association suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his heavyweight title in May of 1967. Ali's comment to Sports Illustrated at the time was, "I'm giving up my title, my wealth, may be my future. Many great men have been tested for their religious beliefs. If I pass this test, I'll come out stronger than ever." Eventually Ali was sentenced to five years in prison, released on appeal, and his conviction overturned three years later by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Muhammad Ali is a good example of someone who found their purpose early and stuck with it and touched lives of many others because he stayed true to his purpose.

What we did...
We talked about what purpose meant and how a boy like Cassius Clay could turn into the great Muhammad Ali simply by knowing his purpose and sticking to it. Rion feels he knows what his purpose is and we talked ablout it being ok not to know yet or to even get older and change our purpose but to just make sure we know use the gifts God gave us and when it feels right then we know we are fulfilling a purpose.

We watched a show together I downloaded on the ipod, "The Proud Family - 7 days of Kwanzaa" and Rion and Mani both were happy to see they knew some of the things the Proud family was learning - Mani loved hearing them say Imani (faith).

I gave Rion a Sims game for his psp so he could see how each Sim had a purpose and how to help his Sim acheive his goals etc. (ok I'm a little more addicted to the game than Rion but hey).

Think about how much better and more meaningful your life will be when you are doing exactly what you were made and meant to do. As I understand more about my purpose and how to live it, I have become a happier, healthier person. It's a blessing I wish for all of us. I can't wait to see the kids discover their purpose in life.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Day 4 - Ujamaa - Collective Economics

On this the fourth and middle day of Kwanzaa, we celebrate Ujamaa, Cooperative Economics. Let us strengthen our determination to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together....

When you purchase at locally owned businesses rather than nationally owned, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers and farms. Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as the local tax base. These businesses add to the character of the community and contribute more than just goods and services. They offer personalized attention, add diversity to our shopping options, And they pay their employees—and local taxes—with the income they receive. Each time you choose to spend your dollars at a local, independent business, you are voting for the continued strength and vitality of our community.

We can Make a difference with a few simple steps:
• Make a decision to find and patronize a locally owned business, wherever possible.
• Dine at a local, independent restaurant and treat yourself to a unique and personal dining experience.
• When you shop online with out-of-state companies, it doesn't contribute a dime to the local economy. So check for members who offer the same products locally, and some even deliver.
• Look for the Local First Arizona logo when you shop and tell other independent businesses about Local First Arizona.
• Use our business directory to locate businesses offering specific goods or services, or you can view a complete list of Local First Arizona member businesses and the categories in which they are listed.

Entrepreneurship offers the best opportunity to maximize your profit potential and to achieve real wealth. Businesses not only need loyal customers but they often require services from other businesses to thrive and prosper. We can contribute to the community by becoming entrepeneurs as well as using local businesses.


Who we learned about...

Farrah Gray

Raised in the impoverished South side of Chicago, Dr. Gray defied the odds and became a self-made millionaire by the age of 14. At the age of 21, he became Dr. Farrah Gray, receiving an Honorary Doctorate degree of Humane Letters from Allen University. This was in recognition of his ingenious economic mind and distinguished commitment to the development of values such as leadership, integrity and scholarship. In his rise from poverty and in Between the ages of 12 and 16 years old, Dr. Gray founded and operated business ventures that included KIDZTEL pre-paid phone cards, the One Stop Mail Boxes & More franchise and The Teenscope "Youth AM/FM" interactive teen talk show, Gray was also Executive Producer of a comedy show on the Las Vegas Strip and owner of Farr-Out Foods, "Way-Out Food with a Twist," aimed at young people with the company's first Strawberry-Vanilla syrup product. Farr-Out Foods generated orders exceeding $1.5 million.

Dr. Gray began his entrepreneurial development at six years old selling home-made body lotion and his own hand-painted rocks as book-ends door-to-door. At age seven, he was carrying business cards reading "21st Century CEO." At eight, Gray became co-founder of Urban Neighborhood Enterprise Economic Club on Chicago's South side which enlisted, educated and engaged "at-risk" youth by creating and developing legal ways for them to acquire additional income.

What we did...

We practiced the principal of ujamaa by eating at a local restaurant to have Rion and my favorite - sushi! We discussed the principal of collective economics and ways Rion could be an entrepreneur if he chose. We talked about what it took to run the restaurant we were eating at and how it helped the people of the community. Tomorrow we learn about Nia - Purpose.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Day 3 - Ujima - Collective work and responsibility

On this, the third day of Kwanzaa, we focus on ujima (collective work and responsibility) and "build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together."

When someone performs an action which benefits his or her community, it is known as community service. However, community service can also be rewarding, and it is a vital part of many small communities. Getting involved in your community makes it healthier and livelier, and numerous organizations around the world support community service activities.
Things which could be considered community service include tutoring children, building homes in low income areas with Habitat for Humanity, assisting the elderly, helping animals at animal shelters, contributing to the operations of volunteer fire departments and emergency services, or helping with community beautification. In all cases, community service work is performed by volunteers who are not paid for their time. In some instances, the work would not be accomplished without the work of such volunteers, and many small organizations rely on people with community spirit to survive.
Engaging in activities like environmental restoration or civic beautification will make your life enjoyable by making the world around you more pleasant. community service can also help to ensure that important services like meals for the elderly and volunteer fire departments continue to run. It also helps to build a rich and supportive community of people who know each other and lend each other a hand when it is needed.

An Example of Ujima...

Founded by leaders of the African American community, Shiloh Orphanage now is known as the Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center. The orphanage played an important role historically by providing housing, care, and education for black children without families in a time when governmental assistance was not available. The orphanage consists of three buildings: Strong Academy, the Girls Dormitory,and the Boys Dormitory. These buildings are architecturally significant as examples of their type and because the dormitories were designed by locally prominent architects.

The Shiloh Baptist Association founded Shiloh Orphanage in 1902, initially locating it in the home of Reverend Daniel McHorton, the first superintendent. In 1904, the orphanage purchased land on 15th Street from Mrs. Hattie Strong, who had previously tried to organize an orphanage at this location near the historically black neighborhood of Bethlehem. Three buildings were constructed as part of the orphanage. A one room school for the younger children, Strong Academy, was built in 1910 and named in honor of Mrs. Strong’s husband. The orphanage had a vegetable garden to the east of the complex of buildings and used some of the acreage to graze cattle.

At Shiloh, the older children took care of younger children. Some of the older residents worked in the homes of white citizens and members of the Shiloh Board of Directors. The children’s chores included washing, ironing, cleaning, and working in the garden. For entertainment, they played games in the yard, took walks in the neighborhood, and read books.

After operating for over 60 years, the orphanage closed in 1970. In 1977, the Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center formed to serve citizens in the area and began using the orphanage buildings.
What we did....
We discussed why doing community service is important to our community and ways we could accomplish this. Rion decided when he walk through the park to or from school he could throw away trash if he saw any. His friends might do the same but if not "every little bit matters" he said. He talked about volunteering at the soup kitchen and how he felt bad but enjoyed it. I told him that we had an opportunity to volunteer at Helen's Hope Chest to help the foster children as well as at a ranch to volunteer during their horse therapy. He wasn't too sure about the horse thing because of course he remembers the time we went to visit the ranch by our apartment and a horse spit in his face lol! he was a bit traumatized but I explained what horse therapy was and he was in. We shall see lol. We also went through his room and he got all his books and games he wanted to give the foster children. Mani and I had already gathered all her toys and clothes earlier. Mani understood they were going to "the other babies" who may not have that toy and she happily put her toys in a pile for them. We will bring it to the facility next week after the volunteer lady calls us back. We will definitely find more ways to give back to the community in 2011.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Day 2 - kujichagulia - Self-determination

What we learned...

Today we reflect on the second Kwanzaa principle, kujichagulia, or self-determination: “to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created and spoken for by others.”

Self-determination can be defined as "Living the way I want to live instead of how others expect me to live," and "Taking the amount of control over your life you want, in the areas you want to control." There are many short term and long term decisions that people make to control their lives. Most people don't want to be in total control of every part of their lives, but may want to share control with family, friends, and others. Letting someone else take control of certain things, however, might mean accepting responsibility for other things like by (me)mom going to work and paying the bills and providing everything you need in return you(kids) go to school and do your best and help to keep the home clean and in order

In order to be self-determined, it's important to have the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes/beliefs and supports. Skills in areas such as communication, independent living, orientation and mobility, decision making, and self-control are essential. A self-determined person's attitudes and beliefs are indicated by a positive outlook on life, self-confidence, high self-esteem, a sense of determination, and internal control. Supports can come from different places. For example, family members and close friends might offer emotional support. Access to technology and a strong mind might provide the necessary educational support. People who want to become self-determined about something must identify the skills, knowledge, attitudes/beliefs and supports they already have, and those they need in order to become what they want to be or do what they want to do in life.

When you have these skills, you have more control over you life and are empowered to do things you want to do. You can decide what to do with your free time, if you want to continue your education after high school, what kind of job/career you want, where you want to live and much much more! Being self-determined means knowing what you want and knowing how to get it. Knowing yourself means, you know your strengths, your needs, and what your interests are. Maybe you are good at drawing or you are good at solving math problems. If you already know these things, then that means you know your strengths.

It is important to make decisions and speak up for yourself so that you can make your life what you want it to be. If you do not make your own decisions, then everyone else will make them for you. Getting advice helps you make good decisions that are right for you. Praying and following Gods word is important in making good decisions. Making decisions means you are able to think about a situation and make the choice that is best for you. To make an informed decision, first, identify your choices. Next, think about, and maybe discuss with a trusted friend, family member or teacher, the good and bad points of each choice. Then, decide on the one choice that best fits what you want. Later, review your decision and see if it worked out the way you wanted. If it did not you can go back and make some change.

Who we learned about...

Malcom X
Malcolm's style and message stood in harsh contrast to the leadership of the mainstream Civil Rights Movement, who favored nonviolent protests and integration to end discrimination. Malcolm's honest and often offensive political views made him the most interviewed African-American leader by the press and, in 1959, the second-most sought-after college speaker besides Martin Luther King Jr.
He was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, as Malcolm Little. His family was forced out of Omaha by white vigilantes who burned down the family's house. After his mother was institutionalized from the strain of trying to raise her family, the children were separated and sent to various foster homes. Malcolm went to Boston to live with a relative, but he fell into a life of crime—selling and using drugs, running numbers, and organizing a burglary ring. These activities landed him in jail for six years; he was only 21 then.
While imprisoned, he was introduced to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam an organization that works toward the betterment of African Americans in a variety of areas, including spiritual, financial, and social Malcolm began to accept Muslim ideology. He improved his intellect by copying every word of the dictionary and reading voraciously before and after his parole.
Upon his release, Malcolm replaced his "slave name" with an X and rose to prominence as the Nation's representative (1952-1964). He proved to be a brilliant, powerful orator who attracted huge crowds on the university lecture circuit. He had a constant media following. He increased Muslim membership by traveling the country and telling African Americans about their previously rich culture, which he said had been taken away by whites who had then brainwashed Blacks into a mentality of self-hate.
Malcolm's growing popularity became a source of disagreement within the Nation, and his discovery of the leader of the Nation’s alleged dishonest personal behavior created a division. Malcolm left the Nation of Islam in 1964 to form Muslim Mosque, Inc., in Harlem, New York. To solidify his newfound Islamic belief and transformation, Malcolm renamed himself El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
On February 21 1965, a week after his home was firebombed, 15 bullets fired by 3 assailants entered his body. El-Shabazz died in the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem before medical services arrived. He left behind a loving family, an important social struggle, and an autobiography of bravery, confidence, and self-determination.

What we did....

Rion was seemed very interested in this principle and we spent most of the time just discussing what we were reading about. I would ask if he understood a certain word or sentence and he would give me his own interpritation and his own examples. I was really impressed with how much he grasped. Mani actually does pick up bits and pieces of what we learn too; i asked her what self determination means and she said "ummm I can flip if I want to!" and she flipped. Genious i tell you! Rion explained self determination as being your own driver in a car and if you let the passenger take the wheel you are no longer in control of where you are going. He understands it is importan to be your own driver. He also brought up becoming a pilot when he grows up again. I am excited to see if he sticks with that dream. He didnt learn as much about Malcolm X as I would have liked but I did not want to overwhelm them with information. He got some key points and at least the name is now in his head. I must say am am so dissapointed in the school system as well as myself for the lack of knowledge he has in black historical figures. When he asked me "who is Malcolm X?" my heart dropped. I had been teaching him about other people over the years that I thought the school probably would not but I never knew they were teaching him NOTHING about different cultures!

We added Kujichagulia to our book and then the kids both blew out the candles and so ended our 2nd day of Kwanzaa.

P.S. Mani is really good at remembering and saying Swahili words and the English meaning. She can pronounce Swahili better than English sometimes lol.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Day 1 - Umoja - Unity



Kwanzaa starts today and the first principle is Umoja. Umoja is the principle of unity in family, relationships, and heart. On this day we light the black candle which stands for unity.

One of the main reasons I wanted to incorporate Kwanzaa in to our traditions is because of this principle alone. Without Unity nothing good can happen. Unity in family is by far the most important thing to an individuals growth, to the community, to a race to our country. I grew up seeing family not united and it had an effect on me. To this day It hurts me deeply to see the loss of unity in the world and especially in my own family as a whole. I need to make sure to instill the importance of this one simple principle in my children so we can always be stronger together. So we can always have each other and Mani and Rion will have a sibling relationship that so many in our family do not. And with that maybe a new cycle will start for the next generations of Galera's. That's my dream at least...

What is Unity? (what we learned)...
Throughout history, African American families have struggled to maintain their unity. Part of the problem is the history of slavery. Slaves were property. They were no better than horses or cows. Like horses and cows, there were breeding slaves, both male and female. Even if a slaves had their family together, there was no guarantee that they would remain together. A slave could be sold away from their family at anytime. Babies were sometimes sold from their mother's arms. Children were sold. A violent or destructive slave would be sold or see his family sold away from him as punishment. After slavery, many slaves looked for their families and never found them.

Kwanzaa and the principle of Umoja allow African Americans to unite and bond in our most important relationships, with our families, and with our community. Umoja teaches us that great changes happen when blacks unite for a common cause. The Civil rights movement is a good example. When Southern Blacks unified to stop white segregation and brutality in the south, they started the ball rolling for change in American society.

Unity begins in the heart. One has to be unified in purpose. One has to unified with those whom they love and one has to find unity in their community. Umoja allows African Americans to explore this theme of unity and to find unity of their own. Families should unify during this time. Family unity encourages families to create daily routines, as well as special traditions and celebrations which affirm members, connect them to family roots, and add creativity and fun to ordinary events. Families can build a secure nest in many ways. The nest must shelter without smothering and allow room for all members to “test their wings” under protection and encouragement.

Key Points
• Strong families recognize that there are benefits and pleasures to be gained from time and activities together. They also realize that they have contributions to make to the family and its members and some obligation to do so. They value the family bond and make efforts to preserve time together for family activities and interaction.
• Families that value unity will, from time-to-time, evaluate the time and energy allocated to family, and when necessary, make needed adjustments.
• By spending pleasant, positive time together, families build up a reserve of good feelings. When trouble comes, it has to be shared with the family and resolved.
• What families do together does not matter so much as that they do something together that is mutually planned and enjoyable. As a general principle, it is probably a good idea to strive for a balanced activity program, including active and inactive, physical and mental, old and new, at home and away, work and play. Spontaneity, humor, wit, and fun are goals to strive for.
• Family unity includes time that family members spend together, both quality and quantity. It means maintaining family identity and togetherness, balancing family priorities with support for member needs, producing strong family bonds, and freedom for individual self-expression.


Who we learned about... (in honor of my little cousins namesake)
S TOKELY C ARMICHAEL

Stokely Carmichael was a civil rights activist during the turbulent 1960s. He soared to fame by popularizing the phrase "Black Power." Black Power meant black people coming together to form a political force and either electing representatives or forcing their representatives to speak their needs [rather than relying on established parties] It is a call for black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations. The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) refers to the movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring voting rights in Southern states.

Stokely Carmichael was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on June 29, 1941. His father moved his family to the United States when Stokely was only two years old. While Carmichael was in school in the Bronx in the early 1960s, the civil rights movement exploded into the forefront of American culture. The Supreme Court declared that school segregation (separating people based on their race) was illegal. African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, successfully ended segregation on the city's buses through a yearlong boycott. During the boycott, they recruited others to stop using the buses until the companies changed their policies. During Carmichael's senior year in high school, four African American freshmen from a school in North Carolina staged a famous sit-in, or peaceful protest, at the white-only lunch counter in a department store.
The action of these students captured the imagination of young Carmichael. He soon began participating in the movements around New York City. Carmichael also traveled to Virginia and South Carolina to join sit-ins protesting discrimination (treating people differently based solely on their race). Carmichael joined a local organization called the Nonviolent Action Group. This group was connected with an Atlanta-based civil rights organization, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Whenever he had free time, Carmichael traveled south to join the "freedom riders," an activist group that rode interstate buses in an attempt to end segregation on buses and in bus terminals.

After graduating in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy, Carmichael stayed in the South. He constantly participated in sit-ins, picketing, and voter registration drives (organized gatherings to help people register to vote). He was especially active in Lowndes County, Alabama, where he helped found the Lowndes County Freedom Party, a political party that chose a black panther as its symbol. The symbol was a perfect choice to oppose the white rooster that symbolized the Alabama Democratic Party.

Activities...
Today we started off with making some more decorations for our Kwanzaa Central. As mentioned before (*see The 7 Symbols) An ear of corn represents each child in the family Rion and Imani made their own kernel corn craft. We also made an African flag out of glitter.



Imani and Rion working on decorations


a booklet of the 7 Principles we started





done! (Mani wanted hers upside down)








After we learned about Unity and family as well as Stokely Carmichael we then created a list of goals for 2011 to help our family become more united. Both Mani and Rion gave suggestions. Hers were to play with her daddy and for Rion and I to go to the playground more with her and slide (she suggested this like 5 times...). Some things Rion and I came up with taking at least 3 family vacations, a movie night every other Saturday, making cookies every holiday and out to dinner once a month. the kids blew out the candle after we recited what Umoja meant and then i gave them their gifts. We were all going to get our own family cup but I already opened mine when we celebrated Imani and Mani actually got a little teaset instead of a cup along with her family scrapbook i made for her (Rion got his on Imani day). Rion gave me a pretty purple ring!And with that our Umoja ceremony was over. We made snickerdoodels together in conclusion of the day. Good times and we all were happy I think me the most because I had us all together just enjoying things I really hold important to the foundation of a good family. Happy Kwanzaa! Saty tuned for tomorrows principle - kujichagulia - self determination!


Some of Rion's scrapbook
some of Imani's scrapbook










Thursday, December 23, 2010

What Happened to Christmas?

I didn't really plan on talking about Christmas in this blog but I realized today that I should take a moment to explain that Kwanzaa is not being celebrated by my family in replacement of Christmas. It is in ADDITION to it. Being a fairly "new age" type holiday many people are ignorant to even the simple basics of Kwanzaa. I know I was at first. What appealed to me however were the principals it developed and that it really could be tailored to fit any type of family. Next years festivities may be very different than this years for us. In any case so far I love how it is bringing me and the kids closer together and focusing on some important values I really want them to explore. It's also been fun thinking of creative ways to celebrate each principal.

We still plan on celebrating Christmas of course because that is a religious holiday we believe in as well. It is a time to recognize the birth of Jesus Christ (although it wasn't on December 25th exactly) and to remember what Jesus was sent here to Earth for and to continue that model in our lives; Love, family and the spirit of giving. NOT expecting presents. NOT counting presents against our siblings or other family members. NOT family stress and drama aired out. NOT judgment and criticism. Love, peace and family togetherness is what I want to feel on Christmas. Material things have engulfed our society and just adds unnecessary stress and negative energy to a time when Unity is all you should feel. By removing the present receiving aspect from Christmas my hopes are that my children will always remember Christmas for what it truly is and give to others and do for others as Jesus did for us. Removing presents on Christmas is not making my son "grow up too fast" as one family member told my son. And as another family member told me I can "do what [I ]want in [my] house" as if I was doing something wrong by wanting my children to not conform to what society has turned the community into (spoiled materialistic ungrateful people) - I do hope my children will take the principles of Kwanzaa with them in other peoples houses and lives and remember the real meaning of Christmas as others are focused on presents in their houses. Because on 12/25 of this year in my house we will be talking about Jesus, going to church, possibly working at a soup kitchen and wishing good blessings on the rest of the world. If that makes my son grow up too fast so be it. He can regain his youth I guess as he opens his Kwanzaa gifts?

Ideally I would love for other family member to stop by at least one time during our Kwanzaa and celebrate with us as a family and learn about a principle with us but new things are difficult for many to grasp and believe it or not I have a very judgmental/critical family (this does not apply to every member of course), so for now it will just be me and the kids and really I couldn't be any more blessed.

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Symbols of Kwanzaa

Along with the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) and the seven days of Kwanzaa, there are seven symbols or implements that are used in the celebration of the holiday. These seven items are arraigned in an area set up as a Kwanzaa altar or table in the home.



The seven symbols of Kwanzaa are:

Mkeka (m-KAY-kah): The Mat
A mat woven of fabric, raffia, or even paper. The Mkeka is important because the other holiday implements rest upon it. It Symbolizes the experiences, culture, achievements and sacrifices of our ancestors upon which our lives are built.

Kikombe cha Umoja (kee-KOHM-bay cha oo-MOH-jah): The Unity Cup
Representing family and community unity. When the Unity cup filled with water, juice, or wine, a little bit is poured out as reminder and respect for our ancestors. The cup is then passed around and shared with those gathered, with each person taking a sip.

Kinara (kee-NAH-rah): The Candleholder
Representing our African ancestors, the Kinara holds the seven candles that symbolize the Nguzo Saba. The Kinara is placed on the Mkeka and holds the Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles).

Mishumaa Saba (mee-shoo-MAH SAH-ba): The Seven Candles
Seven candles, representing the seven principles of Nguzo Saba, which are placed in the Kwanzaa Kinara. The colors of the candles are red, green, and black which are the colors of the Bendera (or African Flag).

Muhindi (moo-HEEN-dee): The Corn
Represents the children (and future) of the family. One suke (ear) of corn is placed on the Mkeka for each child in the family. If there are no children in the family one suke is still placed on the Mkeka to symbolize the children of the community.

The Muhindi also represents the Native Americans who were the first inhabitants of the land. Without whom there would be no corn, also known as Maize. It is used as acknowledgment and respect of their contribution to the culture and ancestors of the African American.

Zawadi (zah-WAH-dee): Gifts
Kwanzaa gifts given to children that will make them better people. The gifts should always include a book, video, or other educational item that will educate and inform the child. There should also be a gift know as a "heritage symbol". Something to remind the child of glory of the past and the promise of the future. I chose to try to give the kids a gift a day to represent each principal. It's a little difficult but we'll see how it turns out.

Day 7 - Imani



So the fiance came to visit before the holidays and we wanted to celebrate Kwanzaa with him so I asked him to choose a principle he wanted to celebrate and we'd move that Kwanzaa day up in time for his visit. He chose Imani - Faith. Really he chose it because he loooooves Mani to pieces but I think it was a good choice for us all to do together because Faith is the one thing that will help us survive this long distance thing. It went very well. Here is what we did...

The African pieces were sent from my Auntie Paula and I added them to the Kwanzaa table to represent all of us. In between the heads is a patch that says King Alpha Queen Omega that Keno had given me. It was perfect addition. My Kinara is nontraditional and I love how its circular design represents unity to me rather than the regular kind that just goes in a row. I couldn't find green candles that fit so the kids and I used green glitter to make them (creativity "kuumba" hah!). What you can't see here is the goblets we used as our unity cups to sip out of. Keno and i drank from 1 and the kids drank from the other. We poured some out for our ancestors in the cactus outside. I will prob get a plant to use on the table in the future. And that book is my homemade Kwanzaa manual.

Keno chose Harriett Tubman to teach the kids about someone who embodies the meaning of faith. We all read from it - even Mani lol. This was the biography I constructed...

Harriet Tubman
The "Moses" of Her People
The Biblical story of Exodus in which Moses freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in Israel, seemed to repeat when Harriet Tubman freed over 300 blacks from slavery in the South to freedom in the North. For her commendable work she herself was nicknamed "Moses" of her people and like Moses, Harriett Tubman had to have faith in order to accomplish everything she did.
Born into slavery on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Harriet's ancestors had been brought to America in shackles from. Harriet was the 11th child born to Benjamin Ross and Harriet Greene and her given name was Araminta But by the time she was an adult, she was calling herself Harriet.
As was the custom for many slaves, Harriet began working at an early age. When five years old, she was first sent away from home, "loaned out" to another plantation, checking muskrat traps in icy cold rivers. She quickly became too sick to work and was returned, malnourished and suffering from the cold exposure. By the age of 12, she was working as a field hand, plowing and hauling wood. At 13, while defending a fellow slave who tried to run away, her overseer struck her in the head with a two-pound weight. This resulted in recurring narcoleptic seizures, or sleeping spells, that plagued her for the rest of her life.
If Harriet been kindly treated as a slave, she might not have learned to have so much Faith to get through her struggles and to do what she knew was right. Vicious masters and mistresses forced her to perform tasks that were almost beyond human endurance. One mistress, who paid only a meager amount for the hire of young Harriet, expected her to slave night and day. By day, she must clean and cook, and by night rock the little white baby so the mistress could sleep in peace. Should Harriet fall asleep and the baby cry, a lash was at hand and she was frequently whipped. Needless to say, Harriet's body broke down, and she was returned to her owner, exhausted and starving. Her mother nursed her back to health. The hardship served a purpose. She learned to go without food and sleep when she must. This ability stood her in good stead in the long nights when she guided other slaves to freedom. Indeed, she insisted that slave owner cruelty served to prepare her for the rescues that made her name legendary.
In 1844, at about the age of 25, Harriet married John Tubman, a freed slave. She gained permission to marry him from her owners and lived with him in his cabin, but she was required to continue working for her master. When Harriet told John of her dreams of one day gaining her freedom, he told her that she would never be free and, if she tried running away, he would turn her in. Harriet had heard of two large cities where blacks lived free: Philadelphia and New York. She made up her mind to get to one or the other in spite of desperate handicaps—she was penniless and a fugitive of the law. She had no maps, no compass. Her food supply consisted of the small snack she had taken from her cabin. She had never been taught to read or write. There was no one to encourage or support her. Even her husband would sound the alarm the minute he realized that she had run away. All she had was her Faith and God.

Despite the hardships inflicted upon her and the unfairness of them, Harriet used her labors for self discipline and set for herself the goal of escaping to the North. She accomplished this goal in 1849, when alone and on foot she ran away from the plantation in the middle of the night and followed the North Star to free land in Pennsylvania.
She escaped to find herself alone. There was no one to help her, none of her own folk to share her joy. All remained behind in slavery. She came to a solemn resolution: She would make a home for her family in the North and, by the Lord's help, bring them there. "Oh, how I prayed then, lying on the cold, damp ground, 'Oh, dear Lord, I ain't got no friend but you. Come to my help, Lord, for I'm in trouble!'"
For Harriet it was time not to rest and relax but to start working toward the attainment of her lifelong goal—to be used by God to set many of her captive people free. She made 19 return trips to the South and helped deliver at least 300 fellow slaves, boasting "I never lost a passenger." Her guidance of so many to freedom earned her the nickname "Moses."

In 1865, Harriet began caring for wounded black soldiers as the matron of the Colored Hospital at Fortress Monroe, Virginia. She continued helping others after the war. She raised money for freedmen's schools, helped destitute children and continued caring for her parents. In 1868, she transformed her family's home into the Home for Aged and Indigent Colored People. She also lobbied for educational opportunities for freedmen. She believed she had been called by God to help her people

Harriet would not have become a Moses to her people had not God been with her. she learned while young to call upon the Lord for help at any hour of the day and night.


Rion and Keno reading about Hariett Tubman

and then we learned about the meaning of Faith. I asked everyone what Faith meant to them. Rion said worship and Imani said Mani and Happy!! She learned that her name meant faith! This is what we learned

Faith
To have faith is to believe in something or someone, to fully trust, to be so confident that you base your actions on what you believe. To have faith is to be fully convinced of the truthfulness and reliability of that in which you believe.

Faith in God then, is having the kind of trust and confidence in God and in Christ that leads you to commit your whole soul to Him as
"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." When you have faith, it communicates to you a certain inner knowing that the thing you are hoping for is certainly established, even before you see any material evidence that it has happened.

Faith is a spiritual force. Faith in God is a response to God's Word which moves God to act. Jesus said, "For assuredly I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but BELIEVES that those things he SAYS will be done, he will HAVE whatever he SAYS." Words mixed with the real, pure faith can and will move mountains or any other problem that we face.

Faith in God must be from the heart. It is not merely intellectual. It is spiritual. "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Faith causes you to know in your heart before you see with your eyes. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Through faith we can know we have the answer to our prayer before we see anything change in the natural order Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." . God expects us, even commands us, to believe that our petitions are answered by God AT THE MOMENT WE MAKE THEM. We must believe that the response is immediately sent WHEN we pray. Faith is like the confirmation slip in our hearts that the goods are on the way. We have that confirmation slip instantly from God. We sense it in our hearts. The manifestation of those goods, the answer received, comes later as long as we are patient and do not throw away our confidence.
Living faith always has corresponding actions. We talk what we really believe, and we act according to what we really believe. The heroes of faith like Harriett Tubman were considered faithful because she acted on what God showed her. To live in faith means to do and say what you believe is right, without doubting.

How we celebrated
For our food of the day we (I) made latkes - Rion wants to do a different cultural food each day of kwanzaa ans since Hannukah had just started i thought latkes would be good (we looove latkes) even Keno liked them.


We then lit the kinara and drank from the Unity cups and said Imani and recited the meaning of faith from the Kwanzaa creator - We focus on ways to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle


After that it was time to give our gifts. The bible I wanted to get Rion was not available in stores so I ended up giving him the scrapbook I had started for him because Keno got him a digital camera. The album is an ongoing one he can add pics to as he travels etc. I gave Imani her personalized Kwanzaa book "7 Candles of Kwanzaa" and Keno gave her an id bracelet with her name Imani on it and some cool coloring books. She loved it. The kids made Keno his presents - pokimon cards from Rion and mani made a collage for his room. I gave him a little wooden box from the African store and put a stone inside. The kids and I said our own little prayer for Keno while holding the stone(even Mani closed her little eyes and silently prayed - who knows about what but hey...) and I told him when he has a bad day or bad dreams hold the stone and have faith our prayers for him will make everything ok and release the negative feelings into the stone to return to the box. The activity we were going to do was to rock climb (to show faith in each other) but it was getting late and we were hungry so we just went out to eat instead. It was a good day!


Imani opening her bracelet (ignore the date stamp - ghetto camera)






blowing out the candles

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The 7 Principles - (Nguzo Saba)

The Seven Principles Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa honors a different principle. These principles are believed to have been key to building strong, productive families and communities in Africa. During Kwanzaa, celebrants greet each other with "Habari gani," or "What's the news?" The principles of Kwanzaa form the answers.


umoja (oo-MOH-ja)
Meaning: unity
Action: building a community that holds together

kujichagulia (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-yah)
Meaning: self-determination
Action: speaking for yourself and making choices that benefit the community

ujima (oo-JEE-mah)
Meaning: collective work and responsibility
Action: helping others within the community

ujamaa (oo-JAH-ma)
Meaning: cooperative economics
Action: supporting businesses that care about the community

nia (nee-AH)
Meaning: a sense of purpose
Action: setting goals that benefit the community

kuumba (koo-OOM-bah)
Meaning: creativity
Action: making the community better and more beautiful

imani (ee-MAH-nee)
Meaning: faith
Action: believing that a better world can be created for communities now and in the future

btw the kwanza symbol for Imani is where I got the idea for my Imani tattoo

What is Kwanzaa you ask?



Kwanzaa is a 7 day festival celebrating the African American people, their culture and their history. It is a time of celebration, community gathering, and reflection. A time of endings and beginnings. Kwanzaa begins on December 26th, the day after Christmas, and continues until New Years Day, January 1st.

Each evening a family member, usually the youngest child, lights candles in a special candleholder (kinara) and discusses one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. On the sixth day, which falls on New Years Eve, family and friends get together to enjoy a large feast and to celebrate their history, culture, and the upcoming new year.

The holiday of Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, during the period of US history in which African Americans were involved in struggles for their civil rights. This was the period of Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights movement, and Black Power.

The seven days of Kwanzaa match the seven principles celebrated during the days. These are ideas that triumph the idea of community of individualism. Each day is dedicated to a specific idea

These principals are each given a day of observation, but all stress unity of the African American people, and the importance of community. Kwanzaa celebrations may have a specific “African” flair. The home may be decorated in colorful African cloth, and people may dress in tradition clothing. It may also be part of the celebration of Christmas and New Year's day.

In these cases, Christians who celebrate Kwanzaa may have the Christmas tree, and the kinara, the special menorah, which holds the seven candles representative of the Kwanzaa principles. On each night of Kwanzaa more candles are lit. On the seventh night all candles blaze forth to symbolize the whole of Kwanzaa.