Are you interested in creating Kwanzaa crafts? The unity cup, also known as Kikombe cha Umoja, is a cup shared amongst those at the Kwanzaa gathering on the first day of Kwanzaa. The cup is passed around from person to person in regards to honoring African ancestors. Before drinking from the Unity cup, each person must say “Harambee” or “let’s pull it together“. True wooden Unity cups can be hard to come by if you don’t know the right places to purchase them, however; you can easily make one of your own with every day household items.
Materials: 2 Styrofoam cups
Black, Red and Green Paint
Kwanzaa Stickers (optional)
Tin foil
Clear Tape
Glue Stick
Step 1: The first step to creating your Unity cup is to tape both of the cup together. To do this you will need to place both bottoms of the cups against each other. Once you have the cups lined up in place, get the tape and attach it to the middle where the cups join. Take the tape and begin to circle it round and round until the cups are sturdy enough to stand together.
Step 2: Once the cups are taped together, get the black paint and begin to paint both cups black. To keep your hands from getting paint on them, place your hand inside one of the cups and hold it upside down as you paint. When painting the cups, leave the bottom side of the cup unpainted so you may place it down without leaving a paint ring. Place the cup down and let dry for a few minutes.
Step 3: After the black paint is dry on the cups, take the green and red paint and begin to design the cup as you want it. If you wish to place stickers on the cup, place them before you start painting. You can place Kwanzaa symbols or figures on it if you wish, make it Kwanzaa related no matter how you paint it. Once you’ve added the red and green paint, let the cup dry once again.
Step 4: After all the paint is dry, cup a strip of tin foil and place it around the top groove of the cup where it indents. To secure the tin foil you will need the glue stick. Once the strip is wrapped around the cup, apply glue to the connecting parts to secure.
Step 5: Once everything is in the right places, allow the entire cup to dry completely. You now have your own homemade Unity Cup for Kwanzaa!
P.S. Once the cup is completely dry, you have the option to actually drink from the cup if you haven’t dropped any paint on the inside.
