Nia – the Principle of Purpose!
Join the Gwinnett County Black Chamber of Commerce (GCBCC) for the ‘Gwinnett County Kwanzaa Celebration: Nia 2023’. The event will take place on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at the Gwinnett County Public Library – Norcross Branch, located at 5735 Buford Hwy, Norcross, GA 30071. It is a free and family-friendly event.
According to the International African American Museum, “Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration of African and African-American heritage and culture. It was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies, and is observed from December 26th through January 1st each year.”
GCBCC invites all individuals of African descent — Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos — and the global Black diaspora of the area, to join us for this celebration of unity and Black power. We will celebrate the 5th day of Kwanzaa – Nia which is Purpose. As members of the Black diaspora, let’s come together to honor our ancestors, global customs and the power of becoming a Black united force in the United States and around the world.
Featuring a Kwanzaa program, guest speakers, food, activities, games, spades table, bid whist table, prizes, and extended family networking. “Attendees will love up on each other while building Black diaspora unity and power with a 2024 strategic agenda,” said Cheryle Renee Moses, president, GCBCC.
The Kwanzaa meal is catered by Camrose Creative Services and prepared with a lot of love! The meal includes Larry Joe’s collard greens, Lelia’s black-eyed peas, Ruth’s Senegalese lemon chicken, Mama Allen’s curry chicken, Charles’ southern fried chicken, Uncle Matthew’s jerk chicken, Ms. Maxwell’s Jollof/regular rice, Papa’s sweet potatoes, Johnny’s plantains, Madear’s macaroni and cheese, Rock’s Nigerian beef stew, Minka’s lobster bisque, Poldo’s shrimp ceviche, Greg’s chitterlings, Rita’s slaw, Mama Kate’s corn/okra succotash, Mama Wey-Wey’s corn bread, Barbara Ann’s mixed greens salad, Aunt Dot’s rolls, Mama Moses sweets, Riley Ragsdale’s tea and water, sodas. (Note: While supply lasts – come on time.)
Register free at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gwinnett-kwanzaa-celebration-nia-purpose-2023-tickets-774981379167. Visit blackchambergwinnett.com for more information on the event.
More About Kwanzaa
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles known as Nguzo Saba:
- Umoja (Unity): Striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): Defining, naming, creating, and speaking for oneself.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): Building and maintaining the community together and solving problems as a group.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): Building and maintaining retail stores and other businesses and profiting from them together.
- Nia (Purpose): Making a collective vocation of building and developing the community to restore its people to their traditional greatness.
- Kuumba (Creativity): Always doing as much as possible to leave the community more beautiful and beneficial than it was inherited.
- Imani (Faith): Believing in the people, the leaders, the teachers, and the righteousness and victory of the struggle.
Seven Symbols of Kwanzaa
There are seven symbols that represent concepts and themes of the holiday:
- Mazao (Crops): Represents the harvest and the rewards of productive and collective labor.
- Mkeka (Mat): A symbol of tradition and history, serving as the foundation upon which all else rests.
- Kinara (Candle Holder): Symbolizes the African ancestors and the lineage from which African-Americans descend.
- Mishumaa Saba (Seven Candles): These candles represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa, with three red candles on the left, three green on the right, and one black in the center.
- Kikombe cha Umoja (Unity Cup): Used in the libation ritual during the Karamu feast on December 31st, symbolizing unity.
- Zawadi (Gifts): These gifts, given mainly to children, symbolize the commitments made and kept, as well as the rewards of labor.
- Vibunzi (Ear of Corn): Each family displays Vibunzi (one ear of corn) for each child in the household, symbolizing the children and the future which they embody. The corn is a symbol of the growth of the family and future generations.
Kwanzaa is a time of both reflection and celebration, focusing on cultural values, community involvement, and personal growth. It is not a religious holiday, but rather a cultural one.
Source: International African American Museum – https://iaamuseum.org/news/what-is-kwanzaa/.
