The holiday season is upon us! If you celebrate Christmas, you are probably already trying to figure out what you want and what to buy your family.
But what about the principles of the holiday?
Christmas (and most ameri-european holidays) have LOOOONG been colonized. These holidays aren't about family and togetherness nearly as much as they are about consumption and materialism. That's why I love Kwanzaa so much.
Kwanzaa was created in the 1960s by Dr. Maulana Karenga. If you ask 3 different people what it is, you will probably get 3 different answers. However, at its essence, it is a holiday that celebrates and promotes Pan-African culture and seven principles (called the Nguzo Saba) that empower and edify.
- Umoja (Unity)
- Kujichagulia (Self Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith)
These principles are referred to by the Swahili word typically and that is to reinforce Black people's bond to Mother Africa. We do this because Black history in America often excludes anything before slavery. WE SHOULD REJECT THAT NOTION. Black people were civilized residents of a thriving continent before the inception of the Maafa (the Trans-Atlantic slave trade). Using Swahili, or any tongue native to Africa, is a reminder of this fact.
Ideals, principles, and values guide our actions. If we have substantive, positive, and productive values in our core, in our spirit, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Kwanzaa begins this year on Monday December 26th 2016
For more details, click HERE and read further....
One more thing:
We owe our success to our supporters so as a token of our appreciation we're running a promotion in conjunction with the holiday. Not to encourage consumption, but more so to lessen the economic burden that comes along with the holiday season. And let's face it, we want the messages contained in our fabrics to get out there so running this sale makes it easier for us to proselytize these messages of Black Empowerment! (lbvs)
Hope you appreciate it!
Best,
Hannibal Pace, Lead Servant
Free Breakfast for Children
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