New Yam Festival of the Igbo
new yam festival igbo people known orureshi idoma iwa ji iri ji ike ji otute depending dialect annual cultural festival igbo people held end rainy season early august iri ji festival literally newyam eating practiced throughout west africa especially nigeria ghana african country beyond symbolizes conclusion harvest beginning next work cycle celebration cultural occasion tying individual igbo community together essentially agrarian dependent yam yam among first set crop planted beginning planting season april august early crop maize cocoyam pumpkin harvested eaten without fanfare new yam festival therefore celebration depicting prominence yam socialcultural life igbo people igbo community old yam previous year crop must consumed discarded eve new yam festivalthe next day dish yam served feast festival symbolic abundance produce though style method may differ one community next essential component make festival remain community celebration last whole day many place may last week festivity normally include variety entertainment ceremony including performance rite igwe king eldest man cultural dance igbo men woman child festival feature igbo cultural activity form contemporary show masquerade dance fashion parade usually beginning festival yam offered god ancestor first distributing villager ritual performed either oldest man community king eminent titleholder man also offer yam god deity ancestor showing gratitude supreme deity protection kindness leading lean period time bountiful harvest without death resulting hunger prayer thanksgiving god eat first yam believed position bestows privilege intermediary community god land ritual meant express gratitude community god making harvest possible widely followed despite modern change due influence christianity area therefore explains three aspect igbo worldview pragmatic religious appreciative day symbolic enjoyment cultivation season plenty shared friend wellwishers variety festivity mark eating new yam folk dance masquerade parade party create experience participant characterize art colorful festival spectacle exhibited joy thanks community display yam used main ritual festival usually roasted served palm oil mmanụ nri iwa ji also share similarity asian midautumn festival based cycle moon essentially community harvest festival event important calendar igbo people world harvest yam celebration god land new yam festival epitome people religious belief supreme deity coming new moon august mark preparation great iri ji ohu festival time mode preparation differs community community new yam festival highly captivating art event colourful festival visual spectacle coherence dance joy feasting annual display community member mark end cultivation season festival people express gratitude helped reap bountiful harvest fluxus yam festival see fluxus ikeji festival ito ogbo festival ogwu ekpeye mayowa adebayo ebenezer july festival ready best nigerian festival guardian nigeria news retrieved july