Kwanzaa Time! with Aunti Oni

IMANI - FAITH - to believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Kwanzaa Time with Aunti Oniseries ends by highlighting the 7th principle of IMANI, Faith. Based on a Native American folktale, a loving Grandfather teaches his grandchildren the importance of having faith in yourself and making the right choices.

STORY CREDIT: THE IMANI TREE by Oni Lasana

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KUUMBA - CREATIVITY, to always do as much as we can, in any way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Aunti Oni shares her creativity with her poem “Kwanzaa All The Time” Aunti invites kids to show off their creativity and rap along with her. ! To create their own poem about Kwanzaa and a shout out for everyone to practice the principles of Kwanzaa year round!

POEM CREDIT : KWANZAA ALL THE TIME by Oni Lasana

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NIA - PURPOSE, to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Listeners get a glimpse into the learning experience of little Nia Wilhemina on day 5 of Kwanzaa Time! Nia learns the ‘purpose’ of her name and how the determination of other African Americans shaped many inventions we use today.

STORY CREDIT: Nia Wilhelmina by Michelle Washington Wilson & Oni Lasana

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UJAMAA- COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS - to build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Listeners will experience the true story of a businesswoman, Maggie Lena Walker.,1864-1934 Miss Walker was the first African American owner of a bank, newspaper, and department store in Richmond, Virginia. Enjoy learning about this trailblazer of cooperative economics, in her own words. 

STORY CREDIT: Maggie Lena Walker Speaks by Oni Lasana

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UJIMA: COLLECTIVE WORK & RESPONSIBILITY - to build and maintain our community together and make our sister's and brother's problems our problems and to solve them together.

In this episode of Kwanzaa Time! w Aunti Oni travels to North Philly where young brother Kai practices UJIMA, the 3rd principle of Kwanzaa. His first haircut changes his life, and in the process, he learns of being responsible to himself and his community during COVID-19.

STORY CREDIT: Kai and The Kwanzaa Mask (c) 2020 Michelle Washington Wilson & Oni Lasana

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Kujichagulia-SELF DETERMINATION, to define ourselves, speak for ourselves, instead of being defined and spoken for by others.

Day 2 of Kwanzaa Time! continues with the story of Kuji. A young man whose attitude of determination and willingness to serve others, won the respect of his teacher, and his classmates. 

STORY CREDIT: KUJI'S CHOICE - by Oni Lasana

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UMOJA - UNITY, to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. 

This delightful Day 1 of Kwanzaa Time!  Aunti Oni tells of Mr. Anthologist, who travels from North America to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to learn the ways of the people. But what Mr. Anthologists learned was a lesson - in sharing, caring, and unity.

STORY CREDIT: UBUNTU! South African folktale, adapted by Oni Lasana

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