TEXAS — Kwanzaa 2023 begins on Tuesday and concludes on Jan. 1.

The cultural holiday was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.” 

Kwanzaa colors are black, red and green to represent unity for people of African descent worldwide. Black represents the people, red for their noble blood that unites them and green for the rich land of Africa.

Here are the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, or the Nguzo Saba, the reason behind the seven candles on the Kwanzaa candelabra:

1. Umoja: Unity

To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

2. Kujichagulia: Self-Determination

To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

3. Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility

To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and solve them together.

4. Ujamaa: Cooperative Economics

To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

5. Nia: Purpose

To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

6. Kuumba: Creativity

To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

7. Imani: Faith

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

If you’re in the Austin area, the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center has something special planned.

Its annual celebration will be held on Dec. 30 from 1-3 p.m. in the lobby of the museum. The program is inspired by the aforementioned Nia (purpose) principle.

For more information, click here.

If you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, check out Kwanzaa Storytime at Bookmarks in NorthPark Center. It will include storytelling and drums by Percussion Things. The event is Wednesday, Dec. 27 from 10:30-11 a.m.

For more information, click here.

In San Antonio, you’ll find the Kwanzaa Celebration For Children at the Carver Library. It’s Dec. 27 from 4-5 p.m. For tickets and more information, click here.