The seven candles in Kwanzaa represent the seven principles, or core values, of the African-American community and the African diaspora. The seven principles are called Nguzo Saba and include: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).
These seven principles provide the framework for Kwanzaa and serve as a reminder to African-Americans of their ancestors and of the gifts of their culture.
Umoja is the principle of togetherness and unity. It encourages African-Americans to come together and form a strong and united community. It is also a reminder to all African-Americans everywhere that they belong to one people and one nation, regardless of where they live.
Kujichagulia is the principle of self-determination. It gives African-Americans the strength and courage to determine their own destiny and to pursue their dreams with pride and perseverance.
Ujima is the principle of collective work and responsibility. It encourages individuals to work together and take responsibility for one another and to build and maintain their community.
Ujamaa is the principle of cooperative economics. It encourages African-Americans to support their own businesses and to reinvest their money back into their community to build economic strength.
Nia is the principle of purpose. It encourages African-Americans to find their individual purpose and to strive towards it within the African-American community.
Kuumba is the principle of creativity. It encourages African-Americans to use their creativity to make the world a better place.
Finally, Imani is the principle of faith. It encourages African-Americans to have faith in themselves, their community, and their future. It is also a reminder of their African roots.
The seven candles in Kwanzaa represent these major principles and are intended to serve as a reminder of their significance to the African-American community.
What does each candle stand for of Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is a popular African-American holiday celebrated from December 26th to January 1st each year. Kwanzaa celebrates African heritage and culture, and is based on the “seven principles” of unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
During the weeklong celebration, a Kinara, or candelabra, is used to hold seven candles – each candle representing one of the principles of Kwanzaa.
The black center candle is known as the Umoja, orUnity candle and signifies the commitment of all people to stand together in unity and peace. The three red candles – Kujichagulia, Ujima, and Ujamaa – are the Self-Determination, Collective Responsibility, and Cooperative Economics candles, respectively.
These candles represent the importance of achieving and maintaining economic self-sufficiency through collective work and responsibility. The three green candles – Nia, Kuumba, and Imani – represent the Purpose, Creativity, and Faith candles.
These candles represent the continuous commitment of African Americans to strive for creating a better world and maintaining strong faith and spiritual values.
By lighting each of the seven candles in turn, families celebrate the importance of Kwanzaa’s core values and beliefs throughout the weeklong holiday.
What are the 7 symbols of Kwanzaa and what do they mean?
The 7 Symbols of Kwanzaa are mazao (the crops), mkeka (the mat), kinara (the candle holder), vibunzi (the ears of corn), muhindi (the ears of corn), zawadi (the gifts), and kikombe cha Umoja (the unity cup).
They symbolize the African heritage of the African diaspora and the values of the holiday — unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Mazao (the crops) are symbolic of the fertility of the land and of the joint effort it takes to harvests the fruits of its labor. The Mkeka (the mat) represents tradition and history, while the Kinara (the candle holder) showcases unity of the African diaspora.
Additionally, the Vibunzi (the ears of corn) are representative of the children in the African community, the importance of harvests and the coming together of generations.
Muhindi (the ears of corn) symbolize the hope for the future and the responsibility we have to create a better tomorrow for our offspring. Zawadi (the gifts) honor the labor of those who have come before us as well as the progress that we have made from their efforts.
Lastly, the Kikombe cha Umoja (the unity cup) is a reminder of our shared experiences and commitment to maintain our culture and solidarity.
What do the 3 colors of Kwanzaa represent?
The 3 colors of Kwanzaa represent the Pan-African concept of Unity: Red, Black, and Green. Red symbolizes the bloodshed of African ancestors in their struggle for liberation from bondage; Black represents the people of African ancestry; and Green stands for hope, renewed faith, and resilience of African people.
These colors have been adopted by Africans from around the world and have come to symbolize their culture, history, and identity. As such, the three colors are a reminder to all Africans of their common heritage, culture, and strength.
Kwanzaa brings together Africans of diverse backgrounds to celebrate their past and envision a brighter future.
What does 7 candles symbolize?
7 candles are often used as symbols of faith, protection and guidance. The number 7 is historically used to represent perfection and completeness, which is why 7 candles are sometimes used in ceremonies to represent a perfect and complete offering of faith.
In other traditions, 7 candles can symbolize protection, wisdom, guidance and enlightenment. In some belief systems, 7 candles represent the 7 directions: North, South, East, West, Above, Below and Within.
Lastly, 7 candles often represent the 7 days of creation, as explained in the Bible.
What is the ninth candle used for?
The ninth candle that is used on the Jewish Menorah, or Hanukkah lamp, is often called the “shamash,” which means “caretaker” in Hebrew. This candle is traditionally placed in the middle or higher than the other 8, and is used to light the other candles.
It is not used for lighting during Hanukkah rituals or blessings and has a specific purpose as the candle that lights the others. It also serves as a reminder, symbolizing that the light of all of the other candles originates from this single flame.
What does each candle in the Kinara represent?
The Kinara is used to celebrate Kwanzaa and each of its seven candles represent one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The first candle, in the center of the Kinara, is the black candle, which represents unity and the collective struggle for freedom.
The other candles are three red ones on the left and three green ones on the right. Each of those candles represents a principle of Kwanzaa in the following order:
• Red Candle (on left) – Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity within the family, community, nation and race.
• Red Candle (next to left) – Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves and to create and speak for ourselves.
• Red Candle (next to right) – Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together, working and Responsible together.
• Green Candle (on right) – Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Green Candle (next to left) – Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our communities.
• Green Candle (next to right) – Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave the community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Black Candle (center) – Imani (Faith): To believe with all our heart in our people, our family, our parents, and our teachers; to believe in ourselves and our ability to succeed.
Each of these principles represents a core part of the Kwanzaa celebration and is intended to serve as a reminder of what it means to live and behave as a unified community. The Kinara and the candles within it serve to remind people to uphold these principles throughout the year and to help nurture a stronger and more unified community.
What is the order of lighting the Kwanzaa candles?
The ceremonial lighting of the Kwanzaa candles occurs on the first day of Kwanzaa, the day known as Umoja (Unity). The candles are lit in the following order:
1. The black candle, in the middle of the Kinara (Kwanzaa candleholder), is lit first to represent Umoja (Unity).
2. All seven candles are lit from left to right, according to their color sequence.
3. The black candle is lit first, then the three red candles (Kujichagulia – Self-Determination, Ujima – Collectivity Responsibility and Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics), followed by the three green candles (Nia – Purpose, Kuumba – Creativity and Imani – Faith).
4. The candle representing Imani – Faith is lit last.
At the end of each day of Kwanzaa, the Kinara is lit again in this same order, from left to right, but only the candle of the principle focus for that day is lit.
In what order are Kwanzaa candles lit?
The Kwanzaa candles are lit in a specific order following the principles of the African American holiday. Each day of Kwanzaa celebrates a different principle, with a candle lit to represent each principle, and so the order of the candles changes each night of Kwanzaa.
For each night of the seven-day holiday, a black, red, and green candle is lit in the following order, with each color representative of a particular principle:
Day 1 – black candle (Unity)
Day 2- red candle (self-determination)
Day 3- green candle (collective work and responsibility)
Day 4- black candle (cooperative economics)
Day 5- red candle (purpose)
Day 6- green candle (creativity)
Day 7- black and red and green candles (faith)
These candles are traditionally lit while singing holiday songs, praying, and reflecting on the principle which the candle colors represent.
How do you set up Kwanzaa candles?
Setting up Kwanzaa candles is an important step in celebrating Kwanzaa. The kinara, or candle holder, consists of 7 candles—3 red, 3 green, and 1 black. These 7 candles each represent a core principle of the Kwanzaa celebration.
The placement of the candles on the kinara is important. The black candle is placed at the center, symbolizing unity. It is flanked by 4 red candles, representing the 4 fundamental principals of the African community—Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), and Ujamaa (cooperative economics).
The other two candles are green and are on either side, with the left side representing Nia (Purpose), and the right side representing Kuumba (Creativity).
To set up the kinara, the black candle should be placed at the center, with the red candles on both sides. The green candles can be placed on either side, opposite the red candles. Generally, all candles should be lit in the order that their respective principles are announced during the Kwanzaa ceremony.
Lastly, make sure to have extra candles and matches nearby so that if one candle goes out, it can be easily relit.
Where do you place pillars of candles?
When it comes to placing pillars of candles, you should pay special attention to where you put them in order to ensure safety and avoid any potential accidents. It is important to make sure the candles are placed on a heat-resistant, stable surface that is away from flammable items like curtains, furniture, bedding, and clothing.
Additionally, they should be kept out of direct contact with any fabrics, and far away from any pets or children. Make sure to keep the pillars of candles away from any open flames, air drafts, or other sources of heat.
It is recommended to place the pillars of candles on nonflammable placemats or trays. Always ensure you have enough space between each of the candles, and keep them within your sight at all times when lit.
It is also recommended to extinguish the candles when you leave a room or intend to sleep.
What do you put in a Kwanzaa basket?
A Kwanzaa basket can be filled with a variety of items as a way to celebrate the holiday. Common items to include are candles for the kinara, ear of corn for each of the seven children which represents plenty, and a unity cup for pouring libations in remembrance of ancestors.
Colors important to the holiday can be celebrated with beads, cloth, and ribbons. Traditional foods such as peanuts, oranges, and cornbread can go in the basket. Seven hand-crafted gifts that symbolize the principles of the holiday are also appropriate additions.
Gifts like cloth dolls, jewelry, pottery, books, writing instruments and baskets also represent the principles of the holiday. For example, the dolls could represent ‘unity,’ while custom pens would represent ‘creativity.
‘ Additionally, you could add symbolic figures such as drums and African masks, books about Kwanzaa or African heritage, or small African instruments. Displaying the seven principles of Kwanzaa and the accompanying poster could round out the Kwanzaa basket.
What order do you light altar candles?
When lighting altar candles, it’s also important to consider the symbolism behind the colors of the candles and the direction in which you light them. Often, an individual will begin by lighting the center candle, usually white, as a representation of the spirit.
After the central candle, you might choose to move in a clockwise direction, although depending on the belief system this might change. For example, the Wiccan ritual is typically aligned with the Wheel of the Year, following the movement of the sun with the start of each season.
It is generally advised to light the candles with reverence and focus. One can also consciously intend each flame to represent cleansing and purification of the soul.
After the center candle is lit, individuals might then focus on lighting the remaining candles in the altar. It can be helpful to light any candles that represent the four elements — air, fire, water, and earth — in their standard direction of North, South, East, and West.
The last candle that is lit is typically the Goddess candle, which has traditionally been white. This candle signifies love and appreciation to the Divine Feminine and its presence is intended to bring joy, comfort, and peace to its space.
When lighting multiple candles, it is also important to use a specific order. After the center candle has been lit, you may choose to follow a traditional clockwise pattern or you may decide to create your own pattern.
This ensures that the elements and energies in the space are balanced and each candle lit has equal importance and influence.
Which candle do I light second for Kwanzaa?
For Kwanzaa, the second candle that you light is the black candle, which is known as the Unity candle. This candle is placed in the center of the Kinara, which is the traditional Kwanzaa candle holder.
The black candle is meant to represent unity for the African community and all of its cultures, and serves as a reminder of African culture and its contributions. As the black candle is lit, it also serves to remind us that we are inextricably united as African people.
When lighting the black candle, a meaningful reflection on the importance of African unity is often shared by those participating in the lighting of the candle.
What do the candles represent on Kinara?
The candles on Kinara are a representation of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
These principles are at the center of Kwanzaa celebrations, and the candles are lit each night of the seven-night holiday to represent these principles and to draw attention and focus to them. The Kinara itself is a centerpiece decoration that is typically beautifully decorated and may have a holder for seven candles that are lit in a specified order each night of Kwanzaa.
The three red candles signify the struggle and the three green candles signify the people’s hope for success; the black candle in the center is a reminder of African heritage and the strength to weather difficulties.
Lighting the candles each night is a way to celebrate the richness of African heritage, affirm the African roots, and commit to and strengthen relationships among African Americans.