The word for the celebration of the Second Day of Kwanzaa is Kujichaglua, which is Swahili for Self Determination. The goal for the day is to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
Michael Eric Dyson, University Professor of Sociology at Georgetown, writes about why Kwanza is important post-Obama in his recent Washington Post On Faith Column. “But the holiday’s most faithful practitioners proclaim its original intent: bridging black folk across the chasms of land, language, water and religion as they forge solidarity in resisting obstacles and embracing opportunities to their common destiny. As the devotees of Kwanzaa understand, those aspirations have never been of much interest to the mainstream during any period of the nation’s history. And the increased fortunes of black folk cause many of them to focus their energy and attention elsewhere. But for its true believers, Kwanzaa is as relevant and necessary now as it’s ever been.”
As you plan your wedding, you want to plan who you are right into both the celebration and your marriage. Help your community understand who you are and how you became the people you are today. Find ways to let them support who you’re going to be together. This is what your community wants to do for you and your marriage. You just need to do the homework beforehand so that you’re able to ask for what you need.
Tip: Use this holiday, not only to celebrate your family’s lineage but also to build your future.
