Misconceptions About Kwanzaa: Is it Not the Norm to Teach That Kwanzaa is Some Detached Theory Separate to Lived Afrikan life?

Throughout the ages the role of the Afrikan teacher has been of powerful importance in service to growth, development and security of the Afrikan family, community, nation and so on. Teaching necessarily came to the fore through the roles of parent, leader and other implicit forms. Teaching also had formal and explicit representation in the role of the Afrikan teacher. In the natural norm of their own self-determined and self-governed way of life Afrikan souls established their culturally rooted wisdom traditions from which teaching could be expressed. This meant that throughout the various spheres of life whether teaching was delivered formally, informally, explicitly or implicitly through whatever societal role empowerment of the Afrikan family, community and nation became the obvious and successful result. Here, to teach and to learn is a cultural expression.

Unfortunately, since the disruptions and interruptions of the Maafa across recent centuries, Afrikan life and culture has been set upon in destructive ways and an alien concept of teacher has been popularised. According to a mainstream source the word teacher describes:

“Someone who’s job it is to teach in a school or college”.

Here, the natural norm of the Afrikan cultural context is outside the realms of such a definition. Yet, such a truncated definition definition can reflect reality. For far too many Afrikan souls in the contemporary world it is exclusively the teaching that comes out of the mainstream institutions that is prevalent in their lives void of their own cultural context and living knowingness of themselves.  

Asa Hilliard offers an insightful articulation of the challenge Afrikan people face in the now:

“It is part of the reality of the times that our children will be taught, not only by Afrikans, but by others in formal and informal institutions (ie. the schools, media, etc.). Based on the past, we can expect little more than ‘schooling’ from the larger societies of which we are a part – not education for our transformation. There is something dreadfully wrong with an education/socialisation process that leaves us ignorant of our past, strangers to our people, apes of our oppressors, and creatures of habitual, shallow thought, and trivial values. Therefore, there must be an independent Afrikan effort to guarantee that our children and our communities develop the perspectives, purposes, skills and knowledge to function in ways that enhance our survival and development. Afrikan teachers must understand Afrikan history, practices, spirituality and theories in education and socialisation…Afrikan teachers who want to teach Afrikan people young and old, must have an agenda for the transformation of Afrikan people based on sound information”.

Unlike the foreign synthetic approach, Afrikan teachers are souls are not naturally afflicted with the dry rendition of ‘I think therefore I am’. Rather, the sound information of the Afrikan teacher is naturally rooted in lived cultural fabric of life.  It is the base of Afrikan cultural living that gives validity to the role of Afrikan teacher who can then utilise the tools, data, research, facilities etc. to facilitate the learning process. Success for the Afrikan is far more than to simply to think or memorise data to recall as trivia. Afrikan teaching is transformational directing the Afrikan self throughout its various levels (including family, community, nation and so on) to optimality.

Teaching is not detached from lived Afrikan life nor is it detached from Afrikan culture. Likewise, Afrikan culture does not consist of detached and isolated theories. That would reveal a non-culture, certainly not Afrikan culture. Kwanzaa is a powerful part of Afrikan culture – the lived Afrikan way. It is wonderful observance of seven-days duration that has (amongst its multitude of great facets) a basic minimum core value set known as the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles). These values are with the Afrikan all-year-round and provides a living frame of reference in order for Afrikan life throughout the Afrikan world community to be restored and ascend. As life is cultivated the role of the Afrikan teacher is empowered. Indeed, the Afrikan teacher can then hold living validity. The Afrikan teacher functionally exists because he or she is cultivated and empowers the learner through lived expression accordingly. The value of Imani (Faith) from the Nguzo Saba states:

To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our fight.

It is the Afrikan cultured people, it is the Afrikan cultured parents, it is the Afrikan cultured teachers, it is the Afrikan cultured leaders from whom Afrikan righteousness and victory is realised. If not Afrikan culture then who’s? It is sheer nonsensical debris and utter misconception to suggest that the primary people of creation ought not live their own way of life or that their way of life is theory. Kwanzaa is an cultural observance of Afrikan brilliancy that is of pragmatic engagement. As a firm part of Afrikan culture it is nothing short of a most beautiful living reality.    

Kwanzaa is one of the essential cultural observances of life within the Universal Royal Afrikan Nation. The Universal Royal Afrikan Nation (URAN) is an Afrikan-centred spiritual and cultural mission for ascendancy that embodies living spiritually and culturally rooted life. To find out more about URAN and its spiritual-cultural mission for liberty and nationhood click here. The exquisite URAN pendant can be obtained online by clicking here.

In his capacity as an Afrikan-centred spiritual cultural practitioner this author is available for further learning in this regard and also for the carrying out of ceremonies such as naming and name reclamation. For details please click here.

Afrikan World Studies programmes are an important forms of study in understanding the Afrikan experience. There are a range of subjects covered on these programmes including History, Creative Production, Psychology and Religion. To find out more about these learning programmes please click here. For the video promo for these learning programmes click here.

Also, in the approach to the important cultural observance of Kwanzaa, the text: From Pert-En-Min to Kwanzaa - A Kuumba (Creative) Restoration of Sacred First Fruits by this author is available to purchase online here. This publication provides informative detail on the of the Kwanzaa celebration. You can also visit the institution of Yemanja to pick up a copy.

At nominal cost, also consider acquisition of an a4 laminate poster of articulations by this author when visiting the Yemanja institution to enrol, consult, learn, gather or otherwise.

Also, visit www.u-ran.org for links to Afrikan liberation Love radio programme on Universal Royal Afrikan Radio online.