Nyla Walker, 7, read aloud the seven principles of Kwanzaa as kids took turns lighting the seven candles held in a kinara and her mom, Samia Walker, told visitors about the holiday.

Each candle the kids lit symbolizes one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa— umoja, kujichagulia, ujima, ujamaa, nia, kuumba and imani — and are lit one at a time over the course of the seven day holiday from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, Samia Walker explained.

In English, these principles are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

The unity candle, which is centermost in the kinara, is the only candle lit on day one. Each day an additional candle is lit and ends on the seventh day with the faith candle.

At Round the Bend Farm’s final farm day of the year on Saturday, Dec. 21, Walker shared Kwanzaa’s seven principles, as well as the importance of bringing community together and sharing.

“It’s really about, especially on the first day, reflecting inward and saying, ‘How am I as a person? How am I showing up for my community? And also, how will I shine my light? What can I then turn around and share with someone else?’” Walker said.

Walker told the story of conjoined crocodiles as attendees played handmade instruments, which she said were made out of wood, dried out gourd and seashells and “anything that we can find in nature and bring it in and repurpose.”

“Our hope for sharing this with the community is that they’ll also bring something to share, because we don’t know it all — we’re learning and we’re growing and we’re sharing as we go,” Walker said.

Walker and her family began celebrating Kwanzaa a few years ago when her kids were born and are still learning about the holiday themselves, she said.

“We acknowledge the principle and we try to see how we can accommodate it into our lifestyle each year in ways that we’re growing and learning,” Walker said.

Rachel Medieros, a co-founder of the Elements Learning Collaborative, which runs holistic natured-based programs and hosted the event, said that this is the first year the program was open to the public but the third or so year Walker has taught students about Kwanzaa.

“Our kids are … able to give back and say, ‘Oh, here’s a time where I was able to embody this aspect,’” she said.

Walker said that the kids at the events she hosts are able to bring traditions to the “Kwanzaa table” to share “how they do things,” including songs they may have learned in church or acting out plays.

“It’s all about building and being in community,” she said. “That’s the gist of Kwanzaa.”