The Unity Cup: A Kwanzaa Story for Youth

By Mosiah Nwosa

A storybook for young minds looking for the meaning of Kwanzaa. 

This book contains two stories. The first story is that of young Jahi, sent out to buy a replacement unity cup by his father. It is an important task. Jahi feels very proud of himself for being chosen, out of all his brothers and sisters. As he tries to find the best Kikombe Cha Umoja (unity cup) in the world, little things that he does will demonstrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Your child will see that the seven principles do apply to our daily lives, and everything we do will affect not just us, but our family, and our community too. 

The second part is a traditional African folktale, about three friends looking for a place to live. Will they find anyone smart and kind enough to take them in? Learn the real meaning of Kwanzaa in this simple tale that will delight as it teaches the eager young minds in your family. 

Written by Mosiah Nwosa, M.S.Ed. 
Mosiah Nwosa is a second generation African American. In 1914, his grandparents immigrated to America from present day Lesotho, a small nation that was once the heart of the Zulu empire and home to the famed Shaka Zulu. His father worked two jobs in south Detroit to support his family and give Mosiah a chance to attend college, the first in his family to do so. 
After earning a degree in African American Studies from the University of Illinois where he minored in Sociology, Mosiah went on to earn an M.S. in Early Education from Roosevelt University. He met his wife during his studies. They have been married for six years now and have two children together. 
He currently teaches English to elementary grades at a small school near his home in Rockford, Illinois. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shawn J. Wells
• Release date: Dec 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519968425

Book preview

The Unity Cup

by

Mosiah Nwosa

© 2015 by Mosiah Nwosa

This is a work of fiction.  While highlighting the very real principles of an important holiday celebration, the characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book are fictitious.  The names used are also fictitious and are not meant to represent any actual persons, either living or dead.  Any similarity to places, people, or products is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, including but not limited to photocopying, scanning, the use of data storage devices, and so forth, without the express written consent of the author.

Heri za Kwanzaa.

CONTENTS:

The Unity Cup

Choose Wisely

About the Author

The Unity Cup

For Kwanzaa this year, Jahi’s family needs a new unity cup.

Last year, when they were putting away the kinara and the mikeka straw mat and their other holiday decorations the family saw something was wrong.  Their unity cup, the Kikombe Cha Umoja, was cracked!  It had been passed down from Father’s great-grandfather, and it was very old.  Now it was broken.  As much as Father loved that cup, the family needed a new one.

So this year Jahi’s father gave him a very important task.  Jahi, Father said, "it is your turn to be responsible for the Kikombe Cha Umoja.  Because it is your turn this year, I am trusting you to find our family a new unity cup.  It must be something special for our family.  Do you think you