HABARI GANI? - Kwanzaa For the Uninitiated

Today marks the first day of Kwanzaa, a holiday I’ve celebrated since I was a kid and has always been an integral part in my life.

No, it is not to be celebrated instead of Christmas.

No, it does not inherently encourage hate or disdain for nonblack people.

Kwanzaa is a celebration of the journey, accomplishments, and future of black people, no matter where you are. It is a time for us to come together and uplift each other while also convicting ourselves of practices that we need to change for the New Year. Kwanzaa is a time to reminisce on the year prior and look forward to the year after. With all the buzz online at the time of writing this focusing on Hotep memes, I want to be sure Kwanzaa isn’t tossed into the fray.

Kwanzaa is to be celebrated for seven days, from December 26th-January 1st. Each day in that time is dedicated to a tenant of Kwanzaa, focusing on how we have applied it and how we can step it up in the new year. These days are indicated by Swahili words. If approached by someone else who celebrates Kwanzaa, they may shout “HABARI GANI?” Your response should be the word of the day. Below, I’ve included these words to live by as well as a song that I feel embodies what it means.

December 26th: Umoja (Unity) – Meaning: We must go into the new year working on building each other up, rather than tearing each other down. Instead of focusing on what someone is doing wrong, focus on what can be done to improve. This means you have to be able to take constructive criticism yourself too.

Song: We People That Are Darker than Blue x Curtis Mayfield

December 27th: Kujichagulia (Self Determination)- Meaning: Don’t wait on anybody else to do what you can do yourself. If it hasn’t been done yet, there’s probably a market for it so do it.

Song: Dothatsh*t x Playboi Carti

December 28th: Ujima (Collective work and responsibility)- Meaning: We are indeed our brother’s/sister’s keeper. As iron sharpens iron, we must sharpen each other. If we see someone we know is down bad, we have an obligation to help within our means.

Song: Brother’s Keeper x Anderson .Paak & Pusha T

December 29th: Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – Meaning: Support black business. Stop asking your friends for discounts. That’s it. That’s the day.

Song: Big Black Buck x Donnie 

December 30th: Nia (Purpose) – Meaning: Do everything with purpose. Do nothing without intention. Aimless doesn’t suit you. Doing things without your whole heart in them only causes you to half step. Just to reiterate, do nothing without intention.

Song: Ain’t No Half Steppin’ x Big Daddy Kane

December 31st: Kuumba (Creativity) – Meaning: Creativity is just intelligence having fun. It’s deductive reasoning’s more fun cousin that you can take to parties. Creativity doesn’t always mean paint and a canvas, though it definitely could. Take the time to do something different than you usually do. Take a daily practice you have and see if you can improve upon it. Be creative. Express yourself.

Song: Express Yourself x The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band & Charles Wright

January 1st: Imani (Faith) – Meaning: Despite anything you may have told yourself, you’ve made it to 2020. It’s a brand new decade. Imani means that you believe in yourself not only today, but tomorrow, and the day after as well. Take that chance. Shoot that shot. Start that thing you’ve always thought of doing but wasn’t sure about. Imani for me was starting this site, I wasn’t sure people would care about what I have to say, but I did it anyway and I’m beyond glad I did. You gotta trust in your dope.

Song: Consistent x Larry June

There are a lot of other practices that go with celebrating Kwanzaa, but the purpose of this was just to explain what it is to the uninitiated. If you’d like to know more about Kwanzaa feel free to shoot me a message, I’d love to talk about it.