The 7 Days Of Kwanzaa: Day 1 - Umoja (Unity)

What is Kwanzaa?

 When one thinks of the holiday season, Kwanzaa is typically one that is not often spoke of nor celebrated; however, it is arguably one of the most empowering celebrations for the Black-American community. The holiday was founded by Maulana Ron Karenga in the year 1966 with one goal in mind: the empowerment and unity of Black people (Greenspan, 2023).

Black Americans are born into multiple layers of trauma to include historical/ancestral and intergenerational trauma. The assault of antebellum slavery alone has left such deeply embedded wounds that more than 400 years later, the Black community is still immensely suffering from the psychological consequences. Kwanzaa aims to mitigate the effects of slavery on Black culture and promote liberation and freedom of the mind.

 The Consequences of Colonization & Slavery

The history of colonization involved Europe’s invasion and domination of land and territory already inhabited by the Indigenous people of that land. As you can imagine, the Indigenous did not just happily hand themselves over to the ownership of the Europeans. The act of colonization involved destroying and conquering the Indigenous people through violence and the diseases brought by the Europeans, exploiting the land of its resources, oppressing who was left of the Indigenous populations, and eradicating their identity and forcing the assimilation of European beliefs and values.

With the control and seizure of the people and their land, the colonizers transported African bodies to the Americas and forced them into slavery. African bodies were beaten, broken, raped, and forced to build and establish the system of capitalism to which they would never truly benefit from. As a result of the European’s sadistic, narcissistic, malicious, and inhumane behavior, Black and Brown lives were left with trauma wounds that we have still yet to fully grasp and understand.

The Principles of Kwanzaa

 Kwanzaa starts the day after Christmas (which most participants still celebrate) and lasts for seven days. Each day represents a principle that is encouraged to be adapted by each member of the Black community. Let’s explore the power of each principle for each day of Kwanzaa.

Day 1: Umoja (Unity)

Umoja is the Swahili word for Unity. This principle reflects the expectation for us to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

To weaken any strong nation of people, the very first seed to sow will always be division. Recognizing the strength in unity, the colonizer and enslaver systematically dismantled familial and community ties, fostering internal strife among the oppressed. This intentional fracturing of the Black community resulted in enduring consequences, from the erasure of cultural heritage to economic disparities and systemic injustices. Understanding the importance of unity becomes paramount in healing these historical wounds. Recognizing the tactics employed to create division is the first step towards reclaiming a collective identity.

You can start your journey to creating a sense of unity in your life by first initiating open dialogue, fostering education, and actively participating in community-building efforts which can lay the foundation for reconnecting with one's roots and rebuilding the bonds that were systematically dismantled. Encourage the participation in family therapy and work to have a better understanding of the factors and innerworkings of your family’s intergenerational trauma. By embracing unity at the familial, community, and broader racial levels, individuals can contribute to the ongoing process of healing, empowerment, and resilience within the Black community.