The seven Kwanzaa principles together comprise which philosophy? Kawaida.
Kawaida is the philosophy formed by Kwanzaa’s seven principles, collectively called the Nguzo Saba. The word is commonly translated as “common,” and the framework emphasizes shared values, cultural identity, community responsibility, and collective advancement.
The seven principles are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). Each is highlighted on one day of Kwanzaa, from December 26 through January 1.
Maulana Karenga developed the principles in 1965 and created Kwanzaa the following year. Kawaida is sometimes confused with Ubuntu, another African communitarian concept, but they are not interchangeable terms. Négritude and Garveyism are also related to Black cultural and political thought, yet neither is the name for Kwanzaa’s complete seven-principle philosophy.