Nguzo Saba Research Articles

Kawaida Theory and the Nguzo Saba: African-centered Caregiving for the Elders

There is limited research on culturally sensitive interventions to support African American caregivers of elderly relatives. This qualitative research study explores caregiving among twenty African American professional and managerial women baby boomers caring for older parents. Study findings generate a culturally relevant, African-centered caregiving perspective to add to the literature on caregiving. Study results support the application of Nguzo Saba principles – Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith) to African American caregiving practices. The knowledge generated from this study has implications for social work interventions with individuals, groups, and communities to support African American caregivers.

Columbus Africentric Early College: Building the Black identity through art and culture

This article examines the Columbus Africentric Early College public school from multiple perspectives, including that of the founder, the architect and a graduate of the school, to better understand the school’s cultural impact. A thematic analysis of those viewpoints, coupled with the philosophical framework outlined in the Kaiwada theory, will provide a theoretical and practical context of effective teaching–learning environments. Furthermore, this article will analyse Columbus Africentric Early College as a physical and virtual space where formal and informal learning occurs through responsive education. Responsive education is a term used to describe the type of education that is sensitive, aware and critical of the lived experiences and societal influences that affect students and their respective communities. Columbus Africentric Early College, founded by Charles Tennant, opened its doors in 1996 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and recently relocated to a 55-acre, $45-million ‘urban campus’ created by Nigerian architect Kay Onwuke. Columbus Africentric Early College is guided by the African spiritual principles and value systems of Maat and Nguzo Saba, which are reinforced through the school’s teaching, art and architecture that is designed for the transmission of culture. Columbus Africentric Early College is the nation’s only public Africentric school and provides a proven curricular model that implements culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy manifested through a non-western and non-Eurocentric perspective.

Frameworks for African-centered youth development: A critical comparison of the Nguzo Saba and the five Cs

ABSTRACT Several African-centered theoretical models have been developed to conceptualize the process of healthy development among members of the African-American community. Within prevention-based research, African-centered perspectives are not often utilized as the basis of prevention efforts for African-American youth populations. However, given the distinct experiences of African-American youths, the purpose of this article is to critically compare the principles of the Nguzo Saba and the Five Cs of Positive Youth Development (PYD). We critically compare the two theoretical models in the context of their historical development. The process of comparing the concepts of youth development within each model yielded insights that are particularly important for future theorizing. We conclude with the implications for future practice intervention efforts for African-American youths.

Utilization of the interprofessional education, practice, and research model in HBCU social work education

ABSTRACTHistorically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are often overlooked as a resource to address the need for a diverse healthcare workforce even though they are an essential component of ensuring diversity. In order to meet the needs of the current patient population, HBCUs’ social work programs must move from silo education, practice, and research pedagogy to inter-professional education (IPE), practice (IPP), and research (IPR) modalities when developing partnerships that promote the elimination of health disparities. This article discusses the contributions of a HBCU’s School of Social Work to the growth of IPE, IPP, and IPR utilizing the Ujima principle of Nguzo Saba. The projects developed were an attempt to provide meaningful and relevant education to social work students while exposing them to a collaborative inter-professional education, practice, and research experience. The three social work projects included intra-university and social community collaborations and exposing students to experiential inter-professional education, practice, and experimental learning. This is an opportunity for social work students to become involved in the evolving best practices pedagogy for inter-professional education, practice, and research which social work must embrace in order to fulfill the National Association of Social Workers imperative of preparing students to work in collaborative health care teams. The expected outcomes of these inter-professional ventures reflect a HBCU’s commitment to increasing the competency in inter-professional modalities aimed at supporting, empowering, and preparing high caliber diverse graduates who will grow the future and lead the world as a diverse healthcare workforce.

Mental health for youth: Applying an African-centered approach

ABSTRACTService delivery challenges persist for African American youth who are impacted by mental health conditions. Along with access, of primary concern is the absence of an Afrocentric perspective that can be used to honor the cultural uniqueness, personal strengths, and interconnectedness of those receiving services. The African-centered philosophy, a system based on holistic values and ways of living, is encouraged as a standard framework in mental health service delivery. Nguzo Saba principles, also rooted in the Afrocentric paradigm, can be essential in improving mental health practices by countering the conventional pathological approach and promoting a commitment to augment service delivery for the individual and strengthen access in the community. This article discusses the historical and cultural significance of the African-centered philosophy in mental health practice and utilizes a case study narrative to demonstrate its usefulness in mental health service delivery.

The Development of an African-Centered Urban High School by Trial and Error

As part of the Small Schools movement in Chicago Public Schools, a high school dedicated to African-centered education was chartered. The virtues of Ma’at and the Nguzo Saba, otherwise known as the seven principles of Kwanza, were the foundational principles of the school and were to be integrated into all of the practices and policies of the school. What the teachers faced was student resistance to participate in school rituals, school-wide violence, teen pregnancy, truancy, and student drug and alcohol use. These factors led the teachers to the decision to experiment with changes to the curriculum and instruction. The teachers thought that modeling and direct instruction of the virtues and principles would create a school culture reflected in the virtues. Student work provided evidence of some change in individual students; however, students continued to struggle with violence and at-risk behaviors.

The Brotherhood: Empowering Adolescent African-American Males toward Excellence

A review of the literature reveals that African-American males do not achieve at the same academic levels as their White counterparts. This article reports the effectiveness of a school-based male mentoring program established by a professional school counselor in an urban high school that formed a relationship of support for male students enhancing academic achievement. The program incorporates the principles of the ASCA National Model®, empowerment theory, and Nguzo Saba. Results indicate that participation in a mentoring program can improve student academic achievement and foster personal and social growth and aspirations of success.

The Brotherhood: Empowering Adolescent African-American Males Toward Excellence

A review of the literature reveals that African- American males do not achieve at the same academic levels as their White counterparts. This article reports the effectiveness of a school-based male mentoring program established by a professional school counselor in an urban high school that formed a relationship of support for male students enhancing academic achievement. The program incorporates the principles of the ASCA National Model®, empowerment theory, and Nguzo Saba. Results indicate that participation in a mentoring program can improve student academic achievement and foster personal and social growth and aspirations of success.

Counseling Issues and Approaches Working with Families of African-American Gay Male Members with HIV/AIDS

The rate of HIV/AIDS infection continues to increase in large metropolitan areas and rural regions in the southeastern United States. African-Americans are 3.5 times more likely to contract AIDS than European-Americans and comprise about 25% of all AIDS cases in the United States. African-American males account for 32% of all AIDS cases and 47% of all new HIV infections. Despite a plethora of research over the 20 years addressing risk reduction, sexual behavior change, prevention and the medical aspects of this disease, scarce attention has been paid to the psychosocial impact of HIV/AIDS on African-American gay men and their family members. A number of psychosocial issues are explored as they relate to HIV-infected gay African-American men and their family members. Briefly discussed will be the social implications of being Black and gay as well as pertinent medical aspects of the syndrome. Two counseling approaches useful to working with this population are NTU and the Africentric model of Nguzo Saba.

Holding Up Half the Sky: Women and Psychological Resistance

The authors present a psychological resistance model, based on the 7 principles of the Nguzo Saba, for women across race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and class. Two forms of resistance, optimal and suboptimal, are described. Case studies demonstrating the principles and both strategies of resistance are presented. Implications for counselors are discussed.

Team brothers: An africentric approach to group work with african american male adolescents

This article describes a group counseling intervention for urban, elementary school age African American boys. TEAM BROTHERS is a multicultural prevention approach using the Nguzo Saba (Swahili word denoting the seven principles of Kwanzaa) to facilitate group interaction and change via Africentric content and process and positive reinforcement. The principal goal is to empower young African American boys to succeed through knowledge of self and cultural heritage. The authors provide a brief description of group process and content to illustrate how a group counselor might implement this multicultural prevention approach in a school setting. Results suggest that the approach had a positive impact on participants' in-school attitudes and behaviors.

The Nguzo Saba as a Foundation for African American College Student Development Theory

Because educators at predominantly White institutions have historically relied upon a body of knowledge that supports and reinforces Euroamerican values, they often prove unsuccessful in responding to the educational and cultural needs of African American students. Black students at predominantly White institutions are taught and evaluated from an Anglo-Saxon perspective. (McEwen et al., 1996, p. 217)

Kwanzaa: The Emergence of an African-American Holiday

Kwanzaa: The Emergence of an African-American Holiday 1 INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY On December 23, 1991,Janice C. Simpson, in the Living section of Time magazine, wrote: Add a new seasonal greeting to your list: Habari Gani. It is Swahili for `What's new?' and the salutation for millions of African Americans who celebrate (Simpson 1981:81). More and more, has become a familiar name in the public and the media. Los Angeles Kwanzaa's festivities include the Parade, in which different segments of the African American community celebrate the spirit and values of the holiday. is the only specifically African American festivity that has attracted a significant (but as yet unmeasured) portion of the African American population, which is increasingly looking for identity and meaning for its ethnicity. Now, more than thirty years after the invention of this holiday, it is perhaps appropriate to reflect on its successes. was created in 1966, by Dr. Maulana Karenga (Karenga 1988). An African American scholar, Dr. Karenga is currently professor and chair of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach. According to Dr. Karenga the holiday had its origins in the black nationalist movement. Its objectives are to create a sociohistorical consciousness among blacks. Dr. Karenga's words indicate the need for such a celebration: it is an instrument to help the African American community and reconstruct our history and culture and shape them in our (interview by Y. Flores, 1992). means in Swahili. It is rooted in and modeled after the African celebration of the harvest, with many cultures contributing to its creation. Dr. Karenga asserts: In a word, the values and practices of are selected from peoples from all parts of Africa-South, North, West and East-in a true spirit of Pan-Africanism (Karenga 1988:15). Concerning the origins of Dr. Karenga states: Kwanzaa is a synthesis of both Continental African and Diasporan African cultural elements. This means that it is rooted in both the cultural values and the practice of Africans on the continent and in the U. S. with strict attention to cultural authenticity and values for a meaningful, principled and productive (interview by Flores, 1992). celebrates both African and African-American cultures. Dr. Karenga calls this an ingathering, not only of the fruits of the earth, but also of society's most valuable crop, its people. This ingathering is but one of five criteria found in first fruit celebrations that Dr. Karenga considered to be pertinent when he created the celebration. Writes Karenga: There are at least five common sets of values and practices central to African first fruit celebrations which informed the development of Kwanzaa: 1) ingathering; 2) reverence; 3) commemoration; 4) recommitment; and 5) celebration (Karenga 1988:17). This set of values paved the way to create the or seven principles that are the core of the celebration. Dr. Karenga's reasoning for placing them at the center of the celebration is very clear: The Nguzo Saba...are the core and consciousness of Kwanzaa. They are posed as the matrix and minimum set of values African-Americans need to rescue and reconstruct their life in their own image and interest and build and sustain an Afrocentric family, community, and culture (Karenga 1988:43). These principles are taken from continental Africa and have as their goal to enrich the African-American community by developing a sense of continuity and at the same time to keep the focus on a people with a history outside of Africa. The Nguzo Saba are as follows: 1. Umoja (unity) Kujichangulia (self-determination) Ujima (collective work and responsibility) Ujamaa (cooperative economics) Nia (purpose) Kuumba (creativity) Imani (faith) These seven principles are always presented first in Swahili and then in English in the United States. …

Africentrism: Psychometric Analyses of a Self-Report Measure

This article describes the development of a self-report measure of Africentrism, defined here as the degree to which a person adheres to the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) in African and African American culture. Beginning with a pool of 25 Likert-type items, the authors tested two alternate forms of their Africentrism measure in a series offour studies. The reliability (internal consistency) of the measure wasfoundto be well above a minimum criterionforthe purpose of group comparisons. Indicators of construct validity and known-groups validity were also favorable. The authors recommend a 15-item version of the measure for future testing and conclude with hypotheses regarding the importance of Africentrism in assessing African-centered interventions.

"I have a future" comprehensive adolescent health promotion: cultural considerations in program implementation and design.

"I Have a Future" Adolescent Health Promotion Program is a life options program. The program uses the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) and African philosophy to systematically address violence and attitudes reinforcing the use of violence. The Nguzo Saba promotes self-respect, and commitment to and support for developing a positive community. Data was collected from four public housing developments--two served as match control sites. Adolescents residing in neighborhoods in which the program operated had greater acceptance of the Nguzo Saba than those in matched communities. Those who perceived themselves as having life options engaged in fewer delinquent/violent acts. There was a strong negative correlation between the acceptance of the Nguzo Saba and the number of reported delinquent/violent behaviors. There was a positive relationship between the acceptance of the Nguzo Saba and positive self-concept, psychosocial maturity, and clarity of goals.

An Africentric Model for AIDS Education, Prevention, and Psychological Services within the African American Community

There is a widening gap between the growing numbers ofAfrican Americans with HIVand AIDS and culturally specific programs that address education, prevention, and psychological services within the African American community. This article describes an Africentric model for training psychologists who deliver AIDS education, prevention, and services within the African American community. The principles of NTU and Nguzo Saba were used in the training of 75 African American psychologists with the expectation that they would use these principles when doing education, prevention, and intervention activities within their communities. The article provides a historical context and conceptual framework for the program along with a summary of the impact of the program and implications for future programming and research.

NTU Psychotherapy: An Afrocentric Approach

NTU psychotherapy is based on the core principles of ancient African and Afrocentric world view, nurtured through African American culture, and augmented by concepts and techniques of Western psychology. NTU psychotherapy is spiritually based and aims to assist people and systems to become authentic and balanced within a shared energy and essence that is in alignment with natural order. Furthermore, NTU therapy utilizes the principles of Nguzo Saba as guidelines for harmonious living. Basic principles of NTU therapy include: Harmony; Balance; Interconnectedness; Cultural Awareness; and Authenticity. The role of the NTU therapist is based on a spiritual relationship with the client system since NTU therapy recognizes that the healing process is a natural process in which the therapist assists the client system to rediscover natural alignment. The five phases of NTU psychotherapy are: Harmony, Awareness, Alignment, Actualize, and Synthesis.