The Nguzo Saba

From the 2020 Kwanzaa Calendar and Resource Guide

Umoja 

Unity - Sisterhood - Familyhood - Community - Pan Afrikanism - Love - Respect - Brotherhood

 

“Help me during the rainy season and I’ll help you during the dry season” (Nigeria)

 

“Two birds disputed about a kernel when a third swooped down and carted if off” (Congo)

 

Kujichagulia 

Self determination - Study - Teach - Agitate - Educate - Organize - Strategize - Persistence

 

“Advise and counsel him, if he does not listen, let adversity teach him” (Ethiopia)

 

“It is the duty of children to wait on Elders, and not the Elders on children” (Kenya)

 

“What you do today that is worthwhile inspires others to act at some future time” (The Honorable Marcus Garvey)

 

Ujima

Collective Work and Responsibility - cooperate - mobilize - improvement - immerse - Implement - self-reliance - group solidarity - 10-10-50

 

“I will do it later on is a brother to I didn’t do it” (Ghana)

 

“The man on his feet carries off the share of the man sitting down” (Guinea)

 

“A man’s bread and butter is only insured when he works for it” (Marcus Garvey)

 

Ujamaa

Cooperative Economics - group economics - economics for self-reliance - Buy Black - Leverage - Donate - self-sufficiency - APPEAL - Powernomics

 

“A little rain each day will fill the rivers to overflowing” (Liberia)

 

“Knowledge is like a garden, if it is not cultivated it cannot be harvested” (Guinea)

 

Nia

Purpose - Purposeful - ingenuity - elevate - venerate - accountable - punctual - Optimal health

 

“A big fish is caught with big bait”

 

“Wise men learn more from fools than fools learn from wise men”

 

“He who upsets a thing should know how to rearrange it” (Sierra Leone)

 

Kuumba

Creativity - critical thinking - affluence - authenticity - knowledge - wisdom - African centered code of conducts - Leadership - healing - prudence -vigilance

 

“Expect only from others what you are willing to give”

 

“No one tests the depth of a river with both feet” (Ghana)

 

Imani

Faith - Devotion - Good Character - Spiritual(Spirit-u-all) - Sacredness - Endurance - Trust - cohesion - Fellowship- Humility - Perseverance

 

“We must launch a cultural revolution to un-brainwash an entire people” (Malcolm X)

 

“One head does not constitute a Council”

 

“To go back to tradition is the first step forward” (Dr. Maulana Karenga)

 

“A good deed is something one returns” (Guinea)

 

 

Header image by soulchristmas, via flickr.