Net Miles Of Smiles

Lighting Up the World

Each of the seven candles standing in the kinara represents one of the core principles of Kwanzaa, a celebration of African and African-American culture. The festival focuses on values including unity, self-determination, faith and creativity, symbolized by the candles that are lighted daily during the seven-day event. The holiday’s name is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits.”