Monday, December 26, 2005

umoja

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. And the principle for the first day is umoja or unity. More specifically, according to Maulana Karenga umoja means "To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race."

At nearly every Kwanzaa related-event I've attended, it has been claimed that Kwanzaa is neutral as far as religion is concerned and that people of any belief should feel free to particpate. In my opinion that is more true now, but I don't believe that was the original intent of Karenga and the US (United Slaves) organization.

In Amiri Baraka's colleciton of writings "Raise, race, rays, raze" he has an entire essay on the deeper significance of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba) as the core and foundation of a new values system:

The 7 principles are the spine and total philosophy of the US organization. They are simple in what they say, but total in that they evoke all the levels of meaning associated with philosophical systems.

The 7 principles are "10 commandments" yet more profound to us - US because they are pre and post 10 commandments at the same time. If there is UMOJA, for instance thou cannot kill, steal, bear false witness, commit adultery, or any of the things the western world thrives on. The commandments are fulfilled by the initial need of blackness for unity- oneness.


Personally, I think the whole idea is pretty provocative. It would be interesting if there were a positive group which actually tried to flesh out and develop the 7 prinicples in a serious and thoughtful way and put them into practice.

Tomorrow's principle: Kujichagulia or Self-Determination

No comments: