kawaida

Kawaida is a Swahili word meaning tradition or the common way of doing things. In scholarly and activist contexts, it designates an Afrocentric social philosophy developed in the United States during the 1960s by Maulana Karenga and colleagues as part of the Black nationalist and cultural nationalist movements.

At its core, Kawaida emphasizes the dignity of African heritage, communalism, self-determination, and the transformation of social institutions to serve collective well-being. It combines elements of African, African diaspora, and Pan-African thought with a practical commitment to education, family within the community, economic self-reliance, and social justice. Proponents argue that Kawaida provides a coherent method for reconstructing identity, culture, and institutions that have been disrupted by colonization and racism.

Kawaida philosophy supplied the theoretical foundation for Kwanzaa, the annual December holiday created by Karenga in the mid-1960s to celebrate African American culture and solidarity. The festival's Nguzo Saba, the seven principles, are presented as concrete expressions of Kawaida ideals.

Influence of Kawaida has been seen in Afrocentric pedagogy, community organizing, and cultural nationalist projects. Critics, however, have argued that some claims of Kawaida are essentialist or too generalized about African cultures, and that it may overlook internal diversity and historical contingency. Despite debates, Kawaida remains a reference point within Afrocentric thought and Black cultural nationalism.