There are seven principles of Kwanzaa, they are referred to as the Nguzo Saba.
- Umoja (oo-MOH-ja) Unity
- To strive for and maintain unity within the family, community, nation,and race.
- Being united or joined as a whole
Kujichagulia (KOO-jee-chah-goo-LEE-ah) Self Determination
- To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves, instead of being defined, named, created for, and spoken for by others.
- Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) Collective work and responsibility
- To build and maintain our communities together and to make our sisters’ and brothers’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (OO-ja-mah) Cooperative Economics
- To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses together and to profit from them together.
- Nia (NEE-ah) Purpose
- To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our communities in order to restore our communities to their traditional greatness.
- Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity
- To do always as much as we can in the way that we can in order to leave our communities more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.
- Imani (ee-MAH-nee) Faith
- To believe with all our hearts in our parents, teachers, leaders, and people and in the righteousness and victory of our struggle.