There’s likelihood you’ve heard some sister or brother utter the phrase, “For the tradition,” celebrating somebody’s phrases or actions that lifted up Blackfolk. However what precisely is the “tradition” that we’re perpetually for?
“Tradition” is known as these issues necessary to a selected folks, nation or group; issues like explicit meals, music, methods of worshipping, ritualistic markers (i.e. leaping the broom at weddings, singing sure songs at celebrations of life, calling funerals “celebrations of life,” and many others.). And these methods of considering, being and performing, these items we take into account a part of “the tradition,” can develop into engrained traditions. A lot in order that, for higher or worse, we actually outline Blackness by an individual’s adherence to these traditions.
However these cultural methods might be good or unhealthy, uplifting or downgrading. When can we ever sit again and assess which facets of “the tradition” we want extra of and which of them we have to eliminate?
To that time, again within the 1900s, 1966 to be actual, Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa after making his personal evaluation of Black tradition. He contended that some issues that we had made a part of “the tradition” have been killing us. He acknowledged that “tradition” is one thing that may change over time, and argued that Black tradition had in some methods modified for the more severe.
So, Karenga gave start to Kwanzaa with its give attention to seven rules (the Nguzo Saba) that Karenga believed would permit Blackfolk to reconnect with historic cultural methods of being and dwelling which have a centuries-old confirmed observe document of success.
And even with Kwanzaa’s development over time, it has but to be totally embraced by Blackfolk.
However perhaps it’s time that it’s.
With the all-out assault on Blackness that appears to ramp up every day (voter suppression, banned Black books, struggle towards “CRT,” outlawing of DEI initiatives, finish of Affirmative Motion, exponential uptick in white home terrorism aimed toward us, and many others.), we’re lengthy overdue for assessing what ought to and shouldn’t be thought of authentically “For the tradition.”
And a technique we will begin the method is by giving Karenga’s Kwanzaa rules a shot. We are able to begin defining issues as “For the tradition” or not by how they replicate these seven rules. What are the rules? I’m glad you requested. Right here they’re:
Unity (Umoja)
Self-Dedication (Kujichagulia)
Collective Work and Duty (Ujima)
Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa)
Function (Nia)
Creativity (Kuumba)
Religion (Imani)
What if we moved into 2024 by utilizing these seven rules because the yardstick by which we measure what is actually “For the tradition” and what’s one thing we will do with out? Take into consideration all of the issues we outline as “Black” at present that wouldn’t make the reduce. Consider some methods of being that almost all of us would possibly at present not be into that we may have to include for our betterment. Consider the gazillion issues Blackfolk are into that don’t match into the slim, restricted definition of what’s “Black” that may then be extra accepted and appreciated. Consider the expanded conversations we might have, the expanded concepts that would circulate from them, and the expanded actions we could possibly be about that may produce an expanded Black actuality.
If we consider a greater world for our folks has even a sliver of an opportunity of rising from giving these Kwanzaa rules a attempt, making them come alive in our every day lives, it’d be nicely value our time. Let’s do it… for the tradition.
