Kwanza Candle Sets- Choose Size and Quantity
Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you want to use the same candles all 7 nights)
Set of 28: 7 black, 15 red, 6 green (if you want to let the candles burn down each night)
Mini-Tapers/ Chimes are approximately 3.75" long, .5" at the base, and burn approximately 90 minutes in proper conditions.
Standard Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you would like to use the same 7 candles the whole time)
Standard Set of 28 (if you would like them to burn down completely each night): 7 black, 15 red, 6 green
Twist Tapers are approximately 7" long and fit standard candlesticks. The twist tapers will burn approximately 4 hours if you keep their wicks trimmed and keep them out of drafts, I an appropriate holder & on a level surface.
Votives are approximately 2 inches long and 1.75 inches wide at the top.
They each weigh approximately 2.2 oz / 65 g.
May our African American and other friends who observe Kwanzaa have a joyous, meaningful celebration and time of reflection and remembrance!
Order of Lighting:
1st Evening (December 26th): center black candle
2nd Evening: center black and far left red
3rd Evening: center black and 2 far left reds
4th Evening: center black and all 3 reds
5th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 1 green closest to middle
6th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 2 greens closest to center
7th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, all 3 greens
Some families choose to alternate green and red to symbolize hope in the midst of struggle.
Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday. According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest", although a more conventional translation would simply be "first fruits".
Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy"--a Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture, "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday." Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.
Principles and symbols:
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles:
1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. 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.
7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Kwanzaa celebratory symbols include a mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed: a Kinara (candle holder), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Muhindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup) for commemorating and giving shukrani (thanks) to African Ancestors, and Zawadi (gifts). Corn is the primary symbol for both decoration and celebratory dining.
Observance:
Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth such as kente, especially the wearing of kaftans by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, Kikombe cha Umoja, passed around to all celebrants. Non-African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa. The holiday greeting is "Joyous Kwanzaa".
At first, observers of Kwanzaa avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols, values, and practice with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujichagulia (self-determination) and thus violate the integrity of the holiday, which is partially intended as a reclamation of important African values. Today, many African American families celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and New Year's. Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African American roots, share space in Kwanzaa-celebrating households. For people who celebrate both holidays, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas.
Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you want to use the same candles all 7 nights)
Set of 28: 7 black, 15 red, 6 green (if you want to let the candles burn down each night)
Mini-Tapers/ Chimes are approximately 3.75" long, .5" at the base, and burn approximately 90 minutes in proper conditions.
Standard Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you would like to use the same 7 candles the whole time)
Standard Set of 28 (if you would like them to burn down completely each night): 7 black, 15 red, 6 green
Twist Tapers are approximately 7" long and fit standard candlesticks. The twist tapers will burn approximately 4 hours if you keep their wicks trimmed and keep them out of drafts, I an appropriate holder & on a level surface.
Votives are approximately 2 inches long and 1.75 inches wide at the top.
They each weigh approximately 2.2 oz / 65 g.
May our African American and other friends who observe Kwanzaa have a joyous, meaningful celebration and time of reflection and remembrance!
Order of Lighting:
1st Evening (December 26th): center black candle
2nd Evening: center black and far left red
3rd Evening: center black and 2 far left reds
4th Evening: center black and all 3 reds
5th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 1 green closest to middle
6th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 2 greens closest to center
7th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, all 3 greens
Some families choose to alternate green and red to symbolize hope in the midst of struggle.
Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday. According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest", although a more conventional translation would simply be "first fruits".
Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy"--a Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture, "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday." Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.
Principles and symbols:
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles:
1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. 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.
7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Kwanzaa celebratory symbols include a mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed: a Kinara (candle holder), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Muhindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup) for commemorating and giving shukrani (thanks) to African Ancestors, and Zawadi (gifts). Corn is the primary symbol for both decoration and celebratory dining.
Observance:
Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth such as kente, especially the wearing of kaftans by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, Kikombe cha Umoja, passed around to all celebrants. Non-African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa. The holiday greeting is "Joyous Kwanzaa".
At first, observers of Kwanzaa avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols, values, and practice with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujichagulia (self-determination) and thus violate the integrity of the holiday, which is partially intended as a reclamation of important African values. Today, many African American families celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and New Year's. Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African American roots, share space in Kwanzaa-celebrating households. For people who celebrate both holidays, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas.
Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you want to use the same candles all 7 nights)
Set of 28: 7 black, 15 red, 6 green (if you want to let the candles burn down each night)
Mini-Tapers/ Chimes are approximately 3.75" long, .5" at the base, and burn approximately 90 minutes in proper conditions.
Standard Set of 7: 3 red, 1 black, 3 green (if you would like to use the same 7 candles the whole time)
Standard Set of 28 (if you would like them to burn down completely each night): 7 black, 15 red, 6 green
Twist Tapers are approximately 7" long and fit standard candlesticks. The twist tapers will burn approximately 4 hours if you keep their wicks trimmed and keep them out of drafts, I an appropriate holder & on a level surface.
Votives are approximately 2 inches long and 1.75 inches wide at the top.
They each weigh approximately 2.2 oz / 65 g.
May our African American and other friends who observe Kwanzaa have a joyous, meaningful celebration and time of reflection and remembrance!
Order of Lighting:
1st Evening (December 26th): center black candle
2nd Evening: center black and far left red
3rd Evening: center black and 2 far left reds
4th Evening: center black and all 3 reds
5th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 1 green closest to middle
6th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, 2 greens closest to center
7th Evening: center black, all 3 reds, all 3 greens
Some families choose to alternate green and red to symbolize hope in the midst of struggle.
Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday. According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits of the harvest", although a more conventional translation would simply be "first fruits".
Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy"--a Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture, "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday." Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas.
Principles and symbols:
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles:
1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. 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.
7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
Kwanzaa celebratory symbols include a mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed: a Kinara (candle holder), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Muhindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup) for commemorating and giving shukrani (thanks) to African Ancestors, and Zawadi (gifts). Corn is the primary symbol for both decoration and celebratory dining.
Observance:
Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth such as kente, especially the wearing of kaftans by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, Kikombe cha Umoja, passed around to all celebrants. Non-African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa. The holiday greeting is "Joyous Kwanzaa".
At first, observers of Kwanzaa avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols, values, and practice with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujichagulia (self-determination) and thus violate the integrity of the holiday, which is partially intended as a reclamation of important African values. Today, many African American families celebrate Kwanzaa along with Christmas and New Year's. Frequently, both Christmas trees and kinaras, the traditional candle holder symbolic of African American roots, share space in Kwanzaa-celebrating households. For people who celebrate both holidays, Kwanzaa is an opportunity to incorporate elements of their particular ethnic heritage into holiday observances and celebrations of Christmas.