Articles

KWANZAA

By Sylma Fletcher

KWANZAA is a non-religious African-American holiday created to celebrate family, community and culture. It is celebrated in home, church, community centre, business and school settings from December 26 to January 1.

This celebration was born during the African-American’s struggle for freedom and self-identity in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, the founder and chairman of the Black Nationalist Organization and Professor at California State University. He created Kwanzaa (Quansa) to provide a cultural base that would give a clear and precise sense of “identity, purpose and direction,” and would allow us to embrace our history, culture and ourselves without shame or fear.

He got the word “Kwanzaa” from the Swahili word, “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits,” and added an extra “a” to distinguish the African-American holiday from the African word. Swahili is the most widely spoken language in Africa, and Kwanzaa follows the tradition of the agricultural people of Africa who celebrated their harvests with feasts.

The holiday is celebrated through principles, colours and symbols.

The Seven Principles, designed to bring good into the world, are called “Nguza Saba.” They are:

1. UMOJA (oo-MO-jah) (UNITY) -- The importance of family and community togetherness. “I am We.”
2. KUJICHAGULIA (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) (SELF DETERMINATION) --To define ourselves and our common interests, and to make decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community.
3. UJIMA (oo-GEE-mah) (COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY) --To build and maintain our community together, to solve problems together, and to remind us of our obligation to the past, present and future.
4. UJAMAA (oo-JAH-mah) (COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS) --To emphasize our collective economic strength and encourage us to meet common needs through mutual support.
5. NIA (NEE-yah) (PURPOSE) -- To encourage us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community and that would restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. KUUMBA (koo-OOM-bah) (CREATIVITY) --To use our creative energies to build and maintain a strong and vibrant community and to leave it more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.
7. IMANI (ee-MAH-nee) (FAITH) – To affirm our self-worth and confidence in our ability to succeed and triumph, to honour the best of our traditions, draw upon the best in ourselves, and help us strive for a higher level of life for humankind.

The colours of Kwanzaa are the colours Marcus Garvey gave as the national colours of African people all over the world. They are:

Black for the people, Red for the blood and the struggle, and Green for the land and the future and hope the struggle provides. These colours are used in the candles and other decorations for the home or other settings.

The symbols of Kwanzaa are:

• Mkeka (M-kay-cah): Place Mat (straw, cloth) – the foundation
• Mazao: The crops – the rewards of labour
• Kinara (Kee-nah-rah): The Candleholder – the original stalk from which we came
• Mishumaa Saba (Mee-shoo-maah): The Seven Candles – represents the seven principles (one black (Umoja), three red to the left (Kujichagulia, Ujamaa and Kuumba), and three green on the right (Ujima, Nia and Imani)
  Muhindi (Moo-heen-dee): Ear(s) of Corn – represents offspring of the stalk (parents) and their potential to also become stalks.
• Kikombe Cha Umoja (Kee-coam-bay chah-oo-moe-jah): The Unity Cup – used to pour the libations and drink from to reinforce commitment to the struggle our ancestors started.
• Zawadi (Sah-wah-dee): Gifts -- giving of gifts should be affordable and enriching. Hand made gifts and Black heritage items that could help the receiver grow through the coming year are recommended. The gifts can be given each day as a way to reinforce the principle of the day or all can be given on January 1st.

These symbols are arranged on the place mat to form the Kwanzaa centerpiece and takes a prominent place in the room.

On the first day, the family/community is called together and greeted with “Habari Gani” (“What’s the news” used when greeting) and everyone responds with “Umoja.” The response changes to match the principle of the day. A prayer is offered and a Kwanzaa song sang.

Kwanzaa Song
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle

Kwanzaa is a time to light
A glowing candle every night
A time to show how much we care
A time to think about the past
And values that we want to last
by Sharon

(Visit www.songsforteaching.com/kwanzaasongs/ for some lyrics and sound clips).

The Mtume (leader) speaks about the concept of Kwanzaa, a libation is performed to honour the ancestors. Fill the unity cup with water, grape juice or wine, prior to each nightly ceremony. This is your Tambiko (libation). Pour small amounts of the Tambiko onto the floor in the four corners of the room, to represent the four cardinal points of the globe. Take a sip from the unity cup then raise it and say, “Harambee,” which means, “Let’s pull together.” Make the symbol by lifting your open right hand and close it into a fist while pulling it back down. Pass the unity cup around for others to do the same. Salute ancestors as the libation is being poured or as the cup is being passed.

The lighting of the candle ceremony is preferably done by a youth (The black candle is lit on the first day and the others lit from left to right on the days to follow. It symbolizes that first comes the people, then the struggle and then the hope the struggle provides.). The principle of the day is discussed by each member and a story, song or other reading related to the day’s principle is presented to reinforce its meaning. The Karamu (feast) takes place on the night of December 31 and Zawadi (gifts) are shared.

Kwanzaa Yenu Iwe Na Heri! Happy Kwanzaa!

If you celebrate Kwanzaa this year please send LINK a picture.

Vodka for Cleaning

By Sylma
December 2010

Sometimes I hear about things that totally intrigue me.  My latest intrigue is using vodka to clean with.  I first heard of it from Kristie Alley on an Oprah show a while ago, but recently it came to mind and after some research, I agree, it’s a good cleaner and I want to share it with you.
Vodka is eco-friendly, odorless and useful for so many cleaning applications.  Purchase the cheapest vodka, try it and tell me what you think.

Here are some of vodka’s many cleaning uses:

1 part vodka and 2 parts water makes a general all-purpose cleaner

Kitchen

• Vodka serves as a disinfectant like vinegar and is a good solvent like lemon juice, so it can be added to dish soap to help cut grease.
• Cutlery can be cleaned by soaking in vodka for five minutes. Rinse well.

Clothes

• Freshen with a mixture of one part vodka and five parts water in a spray bottle.  Add an essential oil like lavender and you have your own clothes freshener.
• Laundry – for wine, grass and vomit stains, saturate stains with vodka and blot clean with a vodka soaked cloth. 

Bathroom

• Make it sparkle with less effort.  Vodka is great on glass, chrome, ceramic and porcelain.  You don’t need multiple cleaners to do the job.
• You can spray the bath and shower, leave for 5 minutes and then wash clean. 
• Vodka removes hairspray and soap residue, and it also removes mold and mildew. 
• Spray full strength onto mold or mildew. Wipe with cloth after 15 minutes, if not all gone, scrub with a toothbrush.
• You can soak your razors in vodka after use to prevent rust and buildup, and clean your skin and tighten pores because it’s a good astringent too. 
• It will also clean your scalp, remove toxins and stimulate healthy hair growth.  Just add an ounce of vodka to a 12 ozs bottle of shampoo.

First Aid

• It’s a local anesthetic for wounds and blisters like a cold sore; it will dry it up.
• Dabbed on an insect or jelly fish sting, it will relieve the itching and stinging
• Treat fevers by rubbing chest and back with vodka.
• Chase away foot odor by soaking in a basin of vodka and water.
• Numb the area of a toothache until you can get to the dentist by swishing some vodka around in your mouth

Other

• Clean your delicate things like hard stone jewelry (not pearl and opals) by giving them a vodka soak
• Cleans eyeglasses without streaks.  Use a clean soft vodka dampened cloth. (Avoid on glasses with coated lenses that suggest you avoid alcohol based products.)
• For unwanted household insects, a vodka spray can kill ants
• After cleaning indoor plants they can be wiped with diluted vodka to protect them from aphids
• Spray a mixture of 1 oz vodka, 2 cups water and a bit of dish soap on weeds to kill them
• This eco-friendly solvent also removes adhesives on labels and even from skin. Wet bandage with vodka and it will dissolve the adhesive

There! I challenge you to give vodka a try in your cleaning and tell me what you think.

Email me

Voting

By Marva Wisdom
October 17, 2010

The fact that I have spent a great deal of time working in federal and provincial politics, as well as some aspects of municipal politics, I thought it would be advantageous to write an article on the importance of voting.  My personal experience became one of the many lenses of illumination that directed my writing. I’ll start with my story as an immigrant from Jamaica and why I believe that civic engagement, including voting, is one of the singular imperative actions that can determine the type of future we build for ourselves and others.  Engaging in a political endeavor, such as voting, allows us to have a voice in choosing our leaders. Our choices shape the policies that set parameters for the outcomes that direct our lives and that of others in our community.  Hence the reason voting is important.    

My Pre-Canadian Voting Exposure

As mentioned above, my belief in the importance of voting was rooted in my exposure to politics in Jamaica.  My parents immigrated to Canada from Jamaica 36 years ago. I recall election time in Jamaica when I was a youth attending school.   It was fun.  My aunt and my Mom were both excited, wearing the colours of the Party they supported. I remember having a chance to attend rallies in our tiny community. There was no fear -- just enthusiasm, passion and pride. There was deep engagement whether you supported the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) or the People’s National Party (PNP). Today’s climate is so far removed from the late 60’s and early 70’s. Fear of being physically harmed for public display of support for either PNP or JLP has created hopelessness and apathy, a sense that it matters not who is in power and even worse, a resignation that the majority of the population has been silenced. How sad that a country’s progress whether it be one in the Caribbean or any part of the globe can be thwarted by power concentrated to benefit the few and at the detriment of the many.

 
Canada's Shifting Voting Climate

Unlike the situation in Jamaica, I have yet to hear of anyone in Canada choosing not to become politically engaged due to threat of harm.  However, the trend in the lack of engagement would lead one to believe otherwise. So many people choose Canada to live because here they can freely engage in political discourse; they believe they can shape the policies of the country; they can come together and elect leaders who better reflect their vision of a diverse, fair, just Canada. However, it is extremely important for people to realize that those ideals mean nothing unless we exercise our civic right and responsibility and vote in all elections.  There is absolutely no excuse not to vote on October 25th – the date of upcoming municipal election. The comment about the candidates that, “they’re all the same” is a cop-out.  Actually, it is the responsibility of all citizens to find out the issues and check out all the candidates to see where they stand on important issues.  In this technologically savvy society, most candidates have a website where information is posted.  We should all check their websites and make informed decisions.  Definitely, there is no excuse for apathy.

It is incumbent upon us to become engaged so that we can help our leaders lead, and if they can’t, we can also search and find others that can.

See a listing of candidates here

_____________________

Marva Wisdom is Principal of Wisdom Consulting.  She is also a motivational speaker, workshop designer and facilitator in the areas of leadership, diversity and inclusivity.  She is vice chair of the Canadian Centre for Diversity, a national organization, and is the 2010 United Way Campaign Chair for the City of Guelph and the Counties of Wellington and Dufferin, in addition to her other volunteer leadership roles.
Politically, Marva was former policy and platform chair for the Federal Liberal Party of Canada under former Prime Minister Paul Martin and was constituency manager for both the federal and provincial elected members in Guelph. 
She is currently a strategic advisor for the upcoming municipal election in Guelph.  Marva holds an MA in Leadership from the University of Guelph.