The seven principles of Kwanzaa

Christmas might be over, but Kwanzaa is just getting started.

December 26 marked the start of Kwanzaa, also spelled Kwanza (with one 'a' at the end). It's a seven-day non-religious holiday observed in the US, meant to honor African Americans' ancestral roots. The celebration lasts until January 1.

The name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits."

Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a Black nationalist and professor of Pan-African studies at California State University at Long Beach, Kwanzaa became popular in the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with the Black Power movement - making up the trio of winter holidays along with Hanukkah and Christmas.

The holiday is defined by Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a specific principle, marked by lighting a new candle on the kinara, a seven-branched candelabra.

Even though Kwanzaa isn't as widely celebrated as it used to be, its seven principles still hold true for some. Here's a look at what those principles are, and what they mean.

Umoja means unity in Swahili.