The main guidelines are:

• Children are the main recipient of Kwanzaa gifts
• Gifts are given as acknowledgement of commitments made and kept
• Gifts are not mandatory nor excessive

Karenga states that Kwanzaa gifts should include two items: a book and a heritage symbol; and that those gifts should never serve as a substitution for love, attention and involvement with a child.

The author also adds that gifts be “instructive and inspirational” and acknowledge the recipients “commitments to a principled and productive life” that benefits the community.

At My Daily Kwanzaa blog we highly recommended the “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture” as a foundation of information about Kwanzaa, and other black or African themed books.  Items such as the “Pan-African Heart Pin” and other Kwanzaa jewelry are also items that can serve as heritage symbols.  And equal or better in value are the gift items that you make yourself using your own creativity (kuumba).

Harambee!  Let’s all work together!

Editor, My Daily Kwanzaa

Reference:  “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture”, by Maulana Karenga,   University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles, California.  1998.   ISBN 0-943412-21-8.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Kwanzaa Plants, Books and Gifts”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube.  Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Harambe Chant for Kwanzaa”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Music for Kwanzaa Celebration”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs: Kwanzaa Libations”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs: Myths About Kwanzaa”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Guides for Giving Kwanzaa Gifts (Zawadi)

We can promote and teach the principles of Kwanzaa through the act of gift (zawadi) giving and via the selection of the gift.

In “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture” Maulana Karenga (the creator of Kwanzaa) provides basic guidelines for the giving of gifts on the last day of Kwanzaa.

The main guidelines are:

• Children are the main recipient of Kwanzaa gifts
• Gifts are given as acknowledgement of commitments made and kept
• Gifts are not mandatory nor excessive

Karenga states that Kwanzaa gifts should include two items: a book and a heritage symbol; and that those gifts should never serve as a substitution for love, attention and involvement with a child.

The author also adds that gifts be “instructive and inspirational” and acknowledge the recipients “commitments to a principled and productive life” that benefits the community.

At My Daily Kwanzaa blog we highly recommended the “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture” as a foundation of information about Kwanzaa, and other black or African themed books.  Items such as the “Pan-African Heart Pin” and other Kwanzaa jewelry are also items that can serve as heritage symbols.  And equal or better in value are the gift items that you make yourself using your own creativity (kuumba).

Harambee!  Let’s all work together!

Editor, My Daily Kwanzaa

Reference:  “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture”, by Maulana Karenga,   University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles, California.  1998.   ISBN 0-943412-21-8.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Kwanzaa Gifts and Feast Celebration”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube.  Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Kwanzaa History”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Mazao (mah-zah’-o) are the Crops which represent African harvest and acknowledgement of productive labor.

Mkeka (m-kay’-kah) is the Kwanzaa Mat which represents a foundation of our tradition and history.

Kinara (kee-nah’-rah) is the Candle Holder which represents continental Africans as our roots.

Muhindi (moo-heen’-dee) is the Corn which represents our children and our future.

Mishumaa Saba (mee-shoo-mah’-ah sah’-bah) is the group of Seven Candles which represents the Kwanzaa seven principles (Nguzo Saba).

Kikombe cha Umoja (kee-kom’-bay chah oo-mo’-jah) is the Unity Cup which represents the principle of unity as the basis of all Kwanzaa principles.

Zawadi (zah-wah’-dee) are the Gifts which represent the commitments made and kept.

Bendera (bayn-day’-rah) is the Flag which is a supplemental symbol that represents the people (black color), the struggle (red color) and the future and hope (green color).

Nguzo Saba (en-goo’-zo sah’-bah) Poster is the printed display of The Seven Principles and is a supplemental symbol.

Additional symbols of African culture and heritage are kente cloth and mud cloth.

Kente cloth has its origin with the Akan people of Africa. It is a royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and was the cloth of kings.

The meanings of the colors in Kente cloth are:

• black—maturation, intensified spiritual energy
• blue—peacefulness, harmony and love
• green—vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal
• gold—royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity
• grey—healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
• maroon—the color of mother earth; associated with healing
• pink—assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red
• purple—assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women
• red—political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and death.
• silver—serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon
• white—purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
• yellow—preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility

Mud cloth is the traditional cloth of Mali and is called bogolan or bògòlanfini.  While traditionally worn as clothing, mud cloth is now being crafted into many different types of items including handbags, scarves, passport bags and coats.

Symbols are powerful tools that help our conscious and sub-conscious mind release the energy needed to turn thought into action and creation in our physical world.  We can use the Kwanzaa symbols to give the principles energy and action during the holiday and every day.

Harambee!  Let’s all work together!

Editor, My Daily Kwanzaa

References:  “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture”, by Maulana Karenga,   University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles, California.  1998.   ISBN 0-943412-21-8.  The meaning of kente cloth colors from ”Kente Cloth“, African Journey. projectexploration.org.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Kwanzaa Symbols”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Seven Principles of Kwanzaa: Imani”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.

Video: Youtube. Expert Village, “Kwanzaa Traditions & Customs : Seven Principles of Kwanzaa: Kuumba”

More information and supplies that can be used to practice and celebrate Kwanzaa can be found at the My Daily Kwanzaa Store.