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Featured Article:
The Society of the Divine Word: Ahead of its Time on Civil Rights
- From its earliest days, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD)-the largest
Catholic missionary order in the world-has welcomed people from other cultures
to sit with them at the table of Christ as equals. This willingness to engage
with people of other races, creeds and ethnic origins was never more evident
than when the society opened the first seminary for African Americans. Not
only was the seminary established decades before the Civil Rights movement of
the 1950s and 1960s, but it was established in the Deep South where racial
segregation ran the hottest.
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| NBCC Spirituality Article |
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 Kwanzaa is a "Swahili" way of saying "first
fruits". It is an African American celebration created and shaped by Dr.
Maulana Ron Karenga, as an opportunity to teach and pass on aspects of
African American culture. Stories are told, reminding participants of the
historical struggles and challenges of African American people. Prayer and
praise are also important elements of the Kwanzaa celebration. Seven
principles, the Nguzo Saba, become the focus of the Kwanzaa celebration.
Therefore, Kwanzaa is a cultural, religious and political celebration. It is
cultural, in that African Americans come together to celebrate heritage,
genius and destiny. It is religious because it provides opportunity for
prayer and praise to a God who can make a way out of no way. It is political
because the celebration reminds us of the work that is yet to be done in the
area of social justice and empowerment.
Kwanzaa is usually celebrated for seven days,
beginning December 26th and culminating with a feast (Karamu) on January
1st. Although Kwanzaa is celebrated during the Christmas season, it should
not be confused as a substitute or alternative for Christmas. Instead, it is
a distinct celebration, full of symbolism and action, songs and
storytelling. It is a celebration that reminds humankind that there is much
to celebrate despite the winters of our lives. And as a people of faith, it
is a time to give thanks for the life-giving signs around us that feed and
nourish our spirit.
The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa - Nguzo Saba eveloped by: Dr. Maulana Ron Kareng
- Umoja - (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
- Kujichagulia - (Self-determination)
To define ourselves, names, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves
instead of being defined, named, created for and spoken for by others.
- Ujima - (Collective Work and
Responsibility)
To build and maintain our community together and make our sister's and
brother's problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa - (Family hood and Cooperative
Economics)
To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to
profit from them together.
- Nia - (Purpose)
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our
community to profit from them together.
- 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.
- Imani - (Faith)
To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers,
our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
The seven basic symbols of Kwanzaa are…
- Mkeka - a place mate of straw which
is a traditional African item
- Kinara -a candle holder for seven
candles
- Mishumaa Saba - the seven candles of red,
black and green
- Mazao - a variety of fruit
- Vibunzi - ears of corn,
representing the number of children in the home
- Zawadi -gifts for children
- Kikombe Cha Umoja - unity or
community cup
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