Themes for Monthly Gatherings

There will be seven structured meetings through the year. These meetings should be held in the homes of the participants. Each meeting will take as its theme one of the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles) of the African-American cultural celebration, Kwanzaa. The principles are adapted for direct application to marriage:

UMOJA (UNITY): To strive for and maintain togetherness in the marriage, family, community, nation, race and humanity.

KUJICHAGULIA (SELF-DETERMINATION): To define ourselves, name ourselves and speak for ourselves as married persons, instead of being defined, named and spoken for by others.

UJIMA (COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY): To build and maintain our marriage together, and be role models of love to our family, other couples and our community.

UJAMAA (COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS): To develop our financial policies and strategies together as a couple and share in the mutual benefits.

NIA (PURPOSE): To make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our marriage in order to restore our family and people to their traditional greatness.

KUUMBA (CREATIVITY): To do always as much as we can in whatever way we can to keep our relationship alive and beautiful, and a credit to the African-American Family legacy we have inherited.

IMANI (FAITH): To believe with all our hearts in our God, in each other, and the rightfulness and goodness of our marriage.

The remaining five sessions may be used for special events, e.g., guest speakers, a Christmas party, a picnic, a Valentines Day Dinner Party, etc.