Umoja: To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
today marks the first day of Kwanzaa, the seven days after Christmas that aims reinforce the seven collective principles of African culture. today's focus is Umoja, or Unity.
i have always LOVED this song. for a time, it operated as my theme song, my anthem. i played it daily, sometimes several time a day basking in the strength and beauty of the horns and Latifah's words. even today, i am still moved whenever i hear it, and my swagger becomes that much more fierce.
at first listen, the song may seem not to speak much to "Unity" as it does to female empowerment, but when you think about it, a community cannot rise and achieve FULL unity until all of its members are valued and respected. as audre lorde so aptly stated, "It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences."
in this Kwanzaa season and beyond, let us focus on trying to celebrate and accept that which makes us beautifully unique.
peace
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Habarigani (I think that's how you spell it). Happy Kwanzaa.
Happy Kwanzaa friend! I used to play this song over and over. It's really something to hear my 12 year old play it now.
Aly Cat: gracias! same to you!
Xtina: happy kwanzaa! it's amazing how great this song STILL is!
Lovely blog you havve here