Brooke Martin
Kwanzaa is a secular holiday observed by millions around the world from December 26 through January 1. It was founded in 1966 by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga and is celebrated by people of all faiths to honour African roots and empower people to rediscover their African heritage. The Mishumaa Saba, or seven candles, are placed in a candle holder called the Kinara and lit each day of Kwanzaa, with each candle representing one of the seven principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa. The three red, three green, and one black candles are lit in a specific order, with the black candle, symbolizing unity, lit first, followed by the red candles, symbolizing the struggle, and the green candles, symbolizing the future and hope.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 7 |
| Names of candles | Mishumaa Saba, Vibunzi |
| Colors | Black, red, green |
| Symbolism of colors | Black: people, unity; Red: struggle, blood shed in the past; Green: Earth, future, hope |
| Symbolism of number 7 | Seven Principles Nguzo Saba of Kwanzaa |
| Candle holder | Kinara |
| Lighting order | Black candle first, then left to right |
| Days of lighting | December 26 to January 1 |
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What You'll Learn
The candles are called Mishumaa Sabaa
The candles used in Kwanzaa celebrations are called Mishumaa Sabaa, or simply Mishumaa, which translates to "seven candles" from Swahili. Kwanzaa is a secular week-long celebration of African roots, observed annually from December 26 through January 1. It was founded in 1966 in the United States by activist and educator Dr. Maulana Karenga.
The Mishumaa Sabaa consists of seven candles in total, comprising three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle. Each candle represents and embodies one of the seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, of Kwanzaa and the Kawaida philosophy. These principles are a set of ideals created by Dr. Karenga to inspire and empower the Black community. The seven principles are as follows:
- Umoja: Unity, striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia: Self-determination, defining, naming, creating, and speaking for oneself.
- Ujima: Collective work and responsibility, building and developing the community together.
- Ujamaa: Cooperative economics, building and profiting from community-owned businesses.
- Nia: Purpose, being purposeful with one's life.
- Kuumba: Creativity, contributing positively to the world.
- Imani: Faith, believing in each other and honouring the struggle.
Each day of Kwanzaa, one candle is lit on the Kinara (candle holder), starting with the black candle on the first day, followed by the red and green candles in an alternating sequence from left to right. By the seventh day, all seven candles are lit, filling the Kinara with light and symbolizing the richness and power of African heritage and culture.
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They represent the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba)
The seven candles used in Kwanzaa celebrations are called Mishumaa Sabaa and they represent the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba). The candles are placed in the Kinara (a seven-branched candleholder) in a specific order: one black candle in the centre, three red candles on the left, and three green candles on the right. Each candle is lit on a specific day of the seven-day celebration, with the black candle always lit first, followed by the red candles, and then the green candles.
The Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) are a set of ideals created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, who founded Kwanzaa in 1966. The principles are as follows:
- Umoja (Unity): This principle emphasizes striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race. The black candle represents the people themselves, symbolising the colour of African American people.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): This principle is about defining, naming, creating, and speaking for oneself. It represents the ability to write one's own narrative. The three red candles symbolise the struggle or blood shed in the past.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): This principle encourages collective work and responsibility for the development and preservation of Black communities. It aims to restore African Americans and Pan-Americans to their traditional greatness.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): This principle promotes building and maintaining individually owned stores, shops, and businesses, with the goal of profiting as a community.
- Nia (Purpose): This principle represents the future and the abundance of possibilities it holds.
- Kuumba (Creativity): This principle values creativity and the positive contributions of Black culture to the world.
- Imani (Faith): This principle challenges people to believe in each other and honour their struggle, fostering hope for a better future.
Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the contemplation of one of the Seven Principles, with the candle lighting ceremony providing an opportunity for people to gather and discuss the meaning of each principle.
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The colours have symbolic meanings
The colours of the Kwanzaa candles have symbolic meanings. The three colours used are black, red, and green. Each colour represents a principle of Kwanzaa. The black candle is lit first, symbolising the people and unity. The three red candles are lit next, representing the struggle or blood shed in the past. Finally, the three green candles are lit, representing the Earth and the abundance of possibilities that the future holds.
The candles are placed in a specific order in the kinara (candle holder). The black candle is placed in the centre, with the three red candles on its left and the three green candles on its right. Each day of Kwanzaa, a new candle is lit, starting with the black candle on the first day. The second day begins with lighting the black candle, followed by the leftmost red candle. This pattern continues, lighting the black candle first, then moving from left to right until all three red candles are lit on the third day. On the fourth day, the black candle is lit first, followed by the three red candles, and then the green candle beside the black candle. The fifth day follows a similar pattern, with the first and second green candles being lit. The sixth day sees all candles lit except for the rightmost green candle. Finally, on the seventh day, all seven candles are lit, with the black candle lit first, followed by the red candles, and then the green candles.
The lighting of the candles is a significant part of the Kwanzaa celebration, providing an opportunity for people to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa and its seven principles, known as the Nguzo Saba. These principles were created by Dr Maulana Karenga and include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
The colours black, red, and green are also significant in the Pan-African movement, which aims to unite people of African descent globally. These colours were originally given by civil rights activist and Pan-Africanism leader Marcus Garvey.
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They are placed in a Kinara (candle holder)
The candles used during Kwanzaa are placed in a Kinara, which is a candle holder. The word "Kinara" is derived from the Swahili word for candle holder. It is a seven-branched candle holder, reflecting the seven candles that are placed in it. The seven candles represent the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa.
The Kinara is placed on a Mkeka, a placemat, which symbolises the rootedness of African heritage in tradition. The Mkeka is placed on a table spread with a piece of African cloth. The Kinara is thus central to the Kwanzaa celebration, with the seven candles placed in it.
The seven candles consist of one black candle, three red candles, and three green candles. The black candle is placed in the centre of the Kinara, with the red candles to its left and the green candles to its right. The black candle is lit first, followed by the red and green candles in an alternating pattern. Each candle is lit on a specific day of the seven-day Kwanzaa celebration, with the black candle being lit on the first day.
The colours of the candles are symbolic, with black representing the people, red their struggle or blood shed, and green the Earth or the abundance of possibilities the future holds. The candles are lit in a specific order, with the black candle lit first to signify the priority of the people, followed by the red candle, which symbolises the importance of struggle, and then the green candle, representing hope for the future.
The Kinara and the candles are an integral part of the Kwanzaa celebration, providing an opportunity to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa and its Seven Principles.
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The candles are lit in a specific order
Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration of African roots, observed by people of all faiths from December 26 through January 1. It is not tied to any religion and is instead anchored by seven principles known as the Nguzo Saba. The seven principles are represented by the seven candles (Mishumaa Sabaa) that are placed in the kinara, a seven-branched candleholder. The candles are lit in a specific order, with the black candle, also known as the unity candle, being lit first on the opening day of Kwanzaa.
The second day involves lighting the black candle and the farthest left red candle. On the third day, the black candle and the two farthest left red candles are lit. On the fourth day, the black candle is lit first, followed by the farthest left red candle, moving from left to right until all three red candles are lit.
The fifth day begins with lighting the black candle, followed by the three red candles from left to right, and then the green candle beside the black candle. On the sixth day, the black candle is lit first, followed by the red candles, and then the first and second green candles closest to the black candle.
Finally, on the seventh day, all the candles are lit, starting with the black candle, then moving to the farthest red candle, and proceeding to light all the red candles before continuing to light the green candles. The goal is to light the candles after the black one by moving from left to right when facing the kinara.
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Frequently asked questions
The seven candles for Kwanzaa are called Mishumaa Saba, which translates to "seven candles" in English.
The seven candles represent the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa.
The three colours of the Kwanzaa candles are black, red, and green. The black candle symbolises unity, the red candles represent the struggle and blood shed in the past, and the green candles stand for the Earth and the abundance of possibilities that the future holds.
The black candle, which symbolises unity, is lit first. On the second day, the black candle and the farthest left red candle are lit. On day three, the black candle and the two farthest left red candles are lit. On day four, the black candle is lit first, followed by the farthest left red candle, moving from left to right until all red candles are lit. On day five, the black candle is lit first, followed by the three red candles, moving from left to right, and the green candle beside the black candle. On day six, the black candle is lit first, followed by the red candles, and the first and second green candles closest to the black candle. On the seventh day, all seven candles are lit, starting with the black candle, then moving to the farthest red candle, and finally lighting all the green candles.
The candle holder for Kwanzaa is called a Kinara.
