Kwanzaa Theory, the philosophy out of which the Nguzo Saba and Kwanzaa come is sixty years old this year.and the Kawaida Theory out of which it comes. According to its creator Dr Maulana Karenga, it in response to the the “cultural crisis in views and especially, values” afflicting the Afrikan community and presented as: (1)
“Essential standards of personal and social excellence directed toward building and sustaining moral community, and strengthening and maintaining the community’s capacity to define, defend and develop its interests in the most positive and productive sense. In addition to being standards of excellence, the Nguzo Saba are also categories of priorities and categories of human possibilities. As categories of priorities, they tell us some of the most important things in our lives, identifying a key set of views, values and practices which we should, even must, put first in our personal and social life. And as categories of possibilities, the Nguzo Saba, offer us a set of principles which encourage thought and practice which help define, develop and enhance our humanity in the context of community and the world.” (2)
It was forged as they were in the heat of the Black Power era, where the movement was regarded by the government as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country.” The response to this “threat” created an existential assault to the life and liberty of activists, effected through surveillance, infiltration and sabotage, hardly ideal conditions in which to build a moral community. (3)
Kwanzaa didn’t come to the UK in a meaningful way until almost two decades after its creation but its Black Power activists suffered similar levels of state surveillance and harrassment at the hands of agencies like MI5 and Special Branch. (4) The spectre of infiltration increased as these agencies began to recuit more community members. (5)
In the forty or so years that Kwanzaa has been observed in the UK, the activist community has similarly grappled with establishing a framework and value system. Numerous attempts have been made to create coalitions that bring to together like minds, even across ideological boundaries, in a attempt to create the necessary institutions for community development. The history, alas largely undocumented, is of disruptive individuals or groups of people engaging in disruptive, unprincipled behaviour, creating discord and stymying development. (6)
Yet, one area we do see the values of the Nguzo Saba manifest is the Pan-Afrikan Sports and Culture Day (PASCD), recently rewarded for its impact by the Future Ed Awards. (7) Its very existence is an act of Umoja. It is rooted in the sixty-year plus legacy of the Saturday School Movement, a resolute example of Kujichagulia. The confluence of organsations and individuals that come together to plan and execute the event is a vivid illustration of Ujima. Ujamaa can be seen in the event being funded wholly by the community as well providing opportunities for enterprise through stalls. The fact that PASCD has been a springboard for initiatives like the Pan-Afrikan People’s Parliament, a nationbuilding endeavour, shows real Nia. The event itself allows our children’s Kuumba to flourish and our Imani that they will have a bright future is our sacred mission towards our liberation.
As Dr Karenga asserts:
“African liberation is not only a world-encompassing project, but also a living practice of our daily lives. It is about the way we live our lives, do our work and wage our struggles to resist oppression, build and push our lives forward and achieve freedom, secure justice and expand the struggle for good in and for the world. Since the 1960s, our organization Us has taught that our struggle is a dual one: a struggle to be ourselves and to free ourselves. And we know we cannot free ourselves if we don’t be ourselves, but we can only be ourselves if we fully free ourselves. This is why we argued then and now that the quality of our lives and the success of our liberation struggle depend upon our waging cultural revolution within and political revolution without, resulting in the radical reconception and reconstruction of self, society and the world.” (8)
For this type of activity to work it requires accountability from all participants and the acknowledgement of some form of communal authority. The irony here is that many if not most of us submit to white authority on a daily basis but due regard to an Afrikan seems novel. The tools for addressing this have been legion within the culture with the Nguzo Saba being a particuarly useful framework, based on the best of these traditions, should we ever choose to adopt it. (9)
KWANZAA UK EVENTS 2025
KUJICHAGULIA (Self-Determination) 27th Dec (2nd day)
Ituika Coalition
1PM-8PM @City Heights Academy, 33 Abbots Park, London SW2 3PW. Under 11s FREE. Under 21s: £5. Adults: £11.
Tickets & Info: KimbungaMedia.com
UJIMA (Collective Work & Responsibility) 28th Dec (3rd day)
Afrikan Heritage Communities of Bristol
12pm-1.30pm Children’s Workshop, 2pm-6pm Karamu.
Malcolm X Community Centre, 141 City Road, Bristol BS2 8YH.
Admission FREE (Donations Welcome). Tel: 0117 955 4497
Rebirth Of The Griot & PACM
4pm-9pm, Chestnut Community Centre, 280 St. Ann’s Road, London N15 5BN., Admission FREE (Donations Welcome)
Info: 07985 229 269/07510 249 828.
panafricancongressmovement@gmail.com
PACM & African Community
6pm-9pm, Heritage Centre, Clifford Street, Wolverhampton, WV6 0AA, FREE (Donations welcome). Info: 07546 952 955.
UJAMAA (Co-operative Economics) 29th Dec (4th day)
PACM/African-Caribbean Self Help Organization
6pm-10.30pm, Upstairs Auditorium Legacy Centre of Excellence, 144 Potters Lane, Birmingham, B6 4UU.
FREE (Donations welcome). Info: 07939 241 650.
panafricancongressmovement@gmail.com
IMANI (Faith) 1st Jan (7th day)
PACM & African Community
4pm-9pm, 74 Carmoor Road, Chorlton-on-Medlock, M13 0FB. FREE (Donations welcome).
Info: 07884 444 080. Stalls: 07481 146 027
1) Dr. Maulana Karenga (1982) Introduction To Black Studies. Kawaida Publications. p. 133
2) Dr. Maulana Karenga (28/02/24) The Chair’s Message. https://www.us-organization.org/30th/ppp.html
(3) Virgie Hoban (18/01/21) ‘Discredit, disrupt, and destroy’: FBI records acquired by the Library reveal violent surveillance of Black leaders, civil rights organizations. https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/news/fbi
(4) Perry Blankson (23/10/21) The British State’s Secret War on Black Power. https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/10/the-british-states-secret-war-on-black-power; Bryan Knight (24/06/20) Black Britannia: There Is a Long, Racist History of State Surveillance of Black Communities. https://novaramedia.com/2020/06/24/black-britannia-police-surveillance-of-black-communities-has-a-long-racist-history/
(5) Rob Evans, Vikram Dodd and Paul Lewis (28/10/20) Police spying inquiry to examine targeting of UK black justice groups https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/28/police-spying-inquiry-examine-targeting-black-justice-groups
(6) iNAPP Council of Elders (15/05/15) Statement From iNAPP Council of Elders. https://web.archive.org/web/20150515165628/http://www.inapp.org.uk/; Blacks and Jews.com (2004) Dr. Tony Martin to Speak in London! http://web.archive.org/web/20081026203944/http://www.blacksandjews.com/Martin.UK.Disinvitation2.html
(7) Eneka Quamina (01/12/25) The Pan-Afrikan Sports and Culture Day, of which I am the Sports Director, won The NABBS Award for Supplementary Education, at the Future Ed Award Ceremony 2025. https://www.facebook.com/eneka.quamina/posts/pfbid02vtqneNhgCNKNC2v5VL5NsRbaoxkhhqmXg31oHdEQwjNFxLuX1EniUqZxp3bjF62xl
(8) Dr. Maulana Karenga (25/05/22) African Liberation Day and the Nguzo Saba: Principles and Practices for Liberating Struggle. https://ibw21.org/commentary/dr-maulana-karenga/african-liberation-day-and-the-nguzo-saba/
(9) Dr Maulana Karenga (2002) Kwanzaa : A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture. University of Sankore Press. p. 17-8
We ask the question:
KWANZAA: Can we establish the Nguzo Saba on a communal level?
1) Why has Kwanzaa endured when so many remnants of that era have not?
2) How has surveillance and infiltration affected community building?
3) What lessons can we learn from PASCD?
4) What prevents us from acknowledging Afrikan authority?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Bro. Eneka Quamina: is activist, organiser and journalist. He is the founder of Neeks Sports, an online platform covering all sports stories and opinions, and more importantly, getting the reaction from the fans and public in general. Bro. Eneka is the sports director of the Pan-Afrikan Sports and Culture and was formerly the sports editor of The Whirlwind newspaper.
Bro. Tumaini Joseph: Headteacher of ABSS and former pupil at the school and community activist. Extremely passionate about helping our young people navigate the education system despite all the hurdles in their way. Bro. Tumaini is also a Bio-Medical Science graduate.
Bro. Sola Story: is an Author, Creative Facilitator and a Performance Storyteller with over 30 years of professional experience. He paints change making images using compelling narratives and physical storytelling to inspire children, young people and adults to believe that the world of limitless thinking, freedom and of their heart’s fondest desire is achievable. He is co-founder and Director of Rebirth of The Griot CIC: a non profit company focusing on Community Storytelling / Spoken Word and youth Artist Development. He is also the founder and director of developmental storytelling company African Mythic Medicine Ltd applying creatively facilitated storytelling programmes to help organisations and individuals grow into a deeper transformational knowledge of themselves and to have change-making agency as a reciprocal part of a responsive community. Bro. Sola is a trustee for two youth charities.
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