What is Maat and the Nguzo Saba?
Ma’at is an ancient Kemetic concept. The Nguzo Saba is a term popularized by Dr. Maulana Karenga. As used by the Ancient Africans, Ma’at was a concept that stood for “universal order.” Ma’at represents realty in all its manifestations both spiritual and material. It is the divine force that encompasses and embraces everything that is alive and exists. As an ethical system, Ma’at is often discussed as seven cardinal virtues (truth, justice, righteousness, harmony, balance, reciprocity, and order). As part of Karenga’s Kawaida philosophy, the Nguzo Saba are seven principles (Umoja, Unity; Kujichagulia, Self-determination; Ujima, Cooperative Work and Responsibility; Ujamaa, Collective Economics; Nia, Purpose; Kuumba, Creativity; and Imani, Faith). The Nguzo Saba is most widely recognized in relation to the seven days of Kwanzaa.
