Maddie James
Kwanzaa is a week-long secular holiday celebrated from December 26 to January 1. It was founded in 1966 by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga in the United States. Kwanzaa is a pan-African holiday celebrated by millions around the world. It combines aspects of African and African-American culture and history. During Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, honour their ancestors, and celebrate their heritage. One of the key customs during Kwanzaa is the daily lighting of the Kinara, a seven-branched candle holder. Each day, a candle is lit to represent one of the seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, of Kwanzaa. The candles are typically red, green, and black—symbolic colours of the African people and their struggles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 7 |
| Colour of candles | 3 red, 3 green, 1 black |
| Candle holder | Kinara |
| Mat | Mkeka |
| Order of lighting | Black candle first, followed by red candle on its immediate right, then green candle on its immediate left, and so on, alternating |
| Symbolism of colours | Black: the people; Red: struggle or blood shed in the past; Green: the Earth or the abundance of possibilities the future holds |
| Symbolism of number 7 | Seven principles, or Nguzo Saba |
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What You'll Learn
The black candle is lit first
The colours of the Kwanzaa candles are the same as those of the Pan-African flag. These colours were originally given by Marcus Garvey, a civil rights activist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, which aimed to unite people of African descent globally. The lighting of the candles is accompanied by various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods.
The kinara is a crucial symbol of Kwanzaa, and its name comes from the Swahili word for candle holder. The first kinara was crafted by US Organisation member Buddy Rose-Aminifu in 1967. The Kwanzaa celebration was founded in 1966 in the United States by activist and educator Dr Maulana Karenga. It was formed to empower people to rediscover their African heritage and express the Nguzo Saba, a value system organised by seven key principles.
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The red candles are lit next
The red, black and green candles are the mishumaa saba (the seven candles) and they represent the Seven Principles. The black candle symbolises the first principle, Umoja (unity), and the people. The red candles represent the principles of Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics) and Kuumba (creativity). The green candles represent the principles of Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Nia (purpose) and Imani (faith).
The colours of the candles are also representative of the colours of the Pan-African flag. The red symbolises the struggle, the black the people, and the green the future. The red, black and green colours were originally given by Marcus Garvey, a civil rights activist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement.
Each day of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to light a candle to highlight the principle of that day. The candle-lighting ceremony each evening provides the opportunity to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa.
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The green candles are lit last
Kwanzaa is a week-long secular holiday, celebrated from December 26 through January 1. It was founded in 1966 by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga and is celebrated by millions around the world. The seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, are a set of ideals created by Dr. Karenga, and each day of Kwanzaa emphasizes a different principle.
During Kwanzaa, one candle is lit each day, representing the principle of that day. The green candles are lit on the third, fifth, and sixth days, respectively. The order of lighting the candles is black, red, green, red, green, red, and green. On the seventh day, all seven candles are lit.
The colours of Kwanzaa are black, red, and green. These colours were originally given by civil rights activist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, Marcus Garvey. Black represents the people, red represents their struggle, and green represents the future and hope that comes from their struggle.
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The candles are placed in the Kinara
The Kinara is a seven-branched candle holder used in Kwanzaa celebrations. The word Kinara is a Swahili word that means candle holder. The Kinara holds the seven Kwanzaa candles, which are known as the Mishumaa Saba. These candles are ceremonial objects with two primary purposes: to recreate symbolically the sun's power and to provide light.
The Mishumaa Saba are made up of three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle. The black candle is placed in the centre of the Kinara and represents the principle of Umoja (unity). The three red candles are placed to the left of the black candle and represent the principles of Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), and Kuumba (creativity). The three green candles are placed to the right of the black candle and represent the principles of Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Nia (purpose), and Imani (faith).
On the first day of Kwanzaa, the black candle is lit. On the second day, the red candle on the immediate right of the black candle is lit. On the third day, the green candle on the immediate left of the black candle is lit, and the pattern continues to alternate until the seventh day.
The Kinara is placed on the Mkeka, a straw mat that represents the foundation of African traditions and history. The Mkeka is one of the essential symbols of Kwanzaa, along with the Muhindi (corn to represent the children) and the Mazao (fruit to represent the harvest).
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The Kinara is a seven-branched candleholder
The Kinara is a seven-branched candle holder used in Kwanzaa celebrations. Kwanzaa is a week-long secular holiday, celebrated annually from 26 December through to 1 January. Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 in the United States by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga. It was formed as a way to empower people to rediscover their African heritage and express the Nguzo Saba, a value system organised by seven key principles.
The Kinara is a Swahili word that means candle holder. Shortly before the first Kwanzaa celebration in 1966, Dr. Maulana Karenga searched for a candle holder with seven holes. However, in the absence of a handcrafted Kinara, two candle holders were broken off a Hanukkah menorah and used to hold the seven candles. The following year, a member of the US Organisation, Buddy Rose-Aminifu, crafted the first Kinara. Early photographs show that it was a rudimentary design, a wooden log with holes drilled into it to support the candles.
The Kinara holds seven candles, three red, three green, and one black, which are referred to as the Mishumaa Saba. The black candle is placed in the centre of the Kinara and represents the first principle of Umoja (unity). The three red candles are placed to the left of the black candle and represent the principles of Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), and Kuumba (creativity). The three green candles are placed to the right of the black candle and represent the principles of Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Nia (purpose), and Imani (faith).
Each day of Kwanzaa, a candle is lit to represent the principle of that day. On the first day, the black candle is lit, and on the following days, the remaining candles are lit from left to right. The candle-lighting ceremony each evening provides an opportunity for people to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa and its seven principles.
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Frequently asked questions
The Kwanzaa candles are black, red, and green. The black candle represents the people, the three red candles are for the struggle or blood shed in the past, and the three green candles represent the Earth or the abundance of possibilities the future holds.
The seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, are a set of ideals created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. They are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Kuumba (creativity), Nia (purpose), and Imani (faith).
The black candle, placed in the centre of the kinara, is lit first. On the second day, the red candle on its immediate right is burned. On day three, the green candle on the immediate left side of the black candle is lit, and then the candles continue to alternate until the seventh day.
The Kinara is a seven-branched candle holder used in Kwanzaa celebrations. The Swahili word "kinara" translates to "candle holder".
The candle-lighting ceremony each evening provides the opportunity for families and communities to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa, honour their ancestors, and celebrate African and African-American culture.
