The Nguzo Saba

These are the seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, of Kwanzaa, with explanations by Maulana Karenga , founder of Kwanzaa, as presented on the official Kwanzaa website.

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 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 struggles."

LAUREN JOHNSON