The second day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the second principle of the festivities. While there are a few similarities in how it’s celebrated, you’ll find that there are also some important differences.
Day 2 of Kwanzaa: Kujichagulia
Kujichagulia is defined as self-determination and this principle is built around determining how your actions will bring about the future you want.
On day two of Kwanzaa, people are pledging “to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.” To underscore the importance of Kujichagulia, the founder of the Kwanzaa tradition had this to say about the principle:
“In a time in which occupation and oppression of countries and peoples are immediately presented as necessary and even salvational, the principle of Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) rejects this and reaffirms the rights of persons and peoples to determine their own destiny and daily lives; to live in peace and security and to flourish in freedom everywhere.” - Dr. Maulana Karenga
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It’s not uncommon for those who practice this principle to make decisions based on it. For example, you may decide that part of your self-determination will include no longer doing activities that don’t contribute to the growth of yourself and your community. You’ll then focus on spending more time and energy on the things that will serve your goals.
To do this, some self-reflection is encouraged as you seek to define who you are and who you’d like to be. When you’re considering these questions, you should think about your role in the overall community as well. Kujichagulia places an emphasis on not only knowing yourself well but also knowing where your contributions can make a positive impact.
Day 2 of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 27th.
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How To Celebrate Kujichagulia
As with Umoja, the celebration begins with the leader asking "Habari gani?" or “What’s happening?” of those who are in attendance. On day two, the answer will be Kujichagulia to represent that you’ll be celebrating the principle of self-determination.
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Once again, the day starts with a prayer. The older adults will then prepare libations for the unity cup or cups if you’ve decided that the attendants won’t share.
On this day, someone is chosen to light the black candle as well as the first red candle to the left of it on the kinara. The red candle symbolizes the value of hard work and effort in making progress. There are no specifics regarding who can be chosen to carry out this duty so you can assign it to whoever you like.
The same person who lights the candles will go on to make a statement about the principle that is being celebrated. This statement is meant to explain it in a way that everyone understands and appreciates so they can apply it to their lives.
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After the statement, they’ll usually share a poem, passage, story, or song that relates to the principle of Kujichagulia. They may also talk about how the principle relates to them and any changes they’ll make in their lives. While you don’t have to, some groups encourage others to share the results of their self-reflection as well.
Once that is done, libations will be shared among those present. If you decided to share gifts every day of Kwanzaa, then that will be done at that point. When everyone is finished with the libations and gift-giving, the candles will be extinguished and that will mark the end of day 2’s festivities.
While the principle of Kujichagulia requires that you dig deeper into your personal feelings and goals than Umoja, it sets the tone for how in-depth the rest of the principles will be.
