The kinara is a seven-branched candleholder used in Kwanzaa celebrations in the United States. Shortly before the first celebration in 1966, Maulana Karenga searched for a candle holder with seven holes in which he and the other US Organization members could use to celebrate the first Kwanzaa.

The kinara is the center of the Kwanzaa setting and represents the original stalk from which we came: our ancestry. The kinara can be shape – straight lines, semicircles, or spirals – as long as the seven candles are separate and distinct, like a candelabra.

During Kwanzaa candles are placed in a special candleholder called the Kinara. There are seven candles (Mishumaa Saba) used, each representing one of the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa.

There are seven candles placed in the official candle holder, the kinara, which supports the mishumaa saba (seven candles). Each candle represents one of the seven core principles (nguzo saba) of Kawaida philosophy. Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community, and culture.