Each day begins with a single phrase -
"Habari Gani?" (huh-Bar-ee Gah - nee) - It means "What's the news?" You answer with the Nguzo Saba (n- Goo-zo Sah-bah) of the day.
Today it is Kujuchagulia.
On the second day of Kwanzaa, we celebrate our inner strength and our right as human beings to forge our own path through life and make our own mistakes!
Historically, African Americans have not had the legal right in America to plot their own course, choose for themselves what job they would have, where they could live, or even get an education.
Today we light the green candle in the middle of the Kinara and a red one.
Reflection - How have I lived Kujichagulia over the last of the year?
In 2020, I decided - along with my husband - to revamp our business model to include pre-recorded videos. I made sure there was plenty of material for clients to choose from, and I worked hard to roll with the punches that 2020 threw at us. I decide what types of performances I would and would not do, and what type of work I am willing to take.
How did you show Kujichagulia this year?
A quick story -
Mr. and Mrs. Dunch grew carrots. They sold carrots. They ate carrots. They loved carrots. They lived carrots.
Mr. Dunch's father had been a carrot farmer. He had inherited the farm from his father who also grew carrots. In fact, the Dunch family and had been growing carrots for four generations.
Everyone in those parts knew about the Dunch family. They were honest, kind, thoughtful, and very industrious.
The eldest Dunch child was their son Elmer. Elmer was a very good Dunch. He was a carrot chemist. He knew everything there was to know about how to care for, fertilize, plant, and harvest carrots. He was taking the family into a new era.
The second Dunch child was Peony. Peony was a very good Dunch. She was an artist who spent her time creating beautiful works of art featuring carrots in very creative ways. Her work was the star of the gift shop and was featured in cafes, restaurants, and hotel lobbies all over the world.
The third Dunch child was Henry. Henry was allergic to carrots. This caused all sorts of chaos in the Dunch family, and some speculation that Henry wasn't actually a Dunch. Despite Mr. Dunch trying to force Henry to work the farm, Henry couldn't wait to get old enough to flee the horrors of the Dunch family, the judgemental community, and the pressure of being a Dunch.
So, Henry went off to community college, got a degree in mechanical engineering, and moved to a big city to escape the Dunch name. They changed their name to Dale and ended in and out of rehab a couple of times before they got clean.
They found an amazing partner, went back to school to brush up their skills, got married and was pleased to have all of the Dunch family come to their wedding. They were hired by a small firm that designs all sorts of industrial equipment.
One of the harvesters Dale designed improved the yield of carrot farms fivefold.
Dale was a very good Dunch.
Plot your own course! You are what is needed!
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| Now in Paperback!!! |
Happy Kwanzaa everyone!
Day 1 - Umoja - Celebrating Kwanzaa!
Day 2 - Kujichagulia - Self Determination
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