KWANZAA: A celebration of family, community, and culture Kwanzaa is a pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 and celebrated from December 26--January 1. NGUZO SABA - The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa December 26 - UMOJA (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. December 27 - KUJICHAGULIA (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. December 28 - UJIMA (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together. December 29 - UJAMAA (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together. December 30 - NIA (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. December 31 - 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. January 1 - 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.