The New Yam Festival popular known as Iwa ji, Iri ji or Ike ji is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo people held at the end of the rainy season in August and September. The Iri Ji festival is not only practiced in Nigeria but also in Ghana and in some African countries and beyond.
Where does the New Yam Festival take place?
The New Yam Festival, in the Ogidi community, is an important way of marking the beginning and end of the farming season. It is a celebration of life, accomplishments in the community, culture and well-being. Ogidi is a town currently located in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Which month is the Yam Festival celebrated?
September
It is celebrated in September annually to celebrate the cultivation of yam that was started by a hunter who found the tuber in the forest during his hunting expedition.
How long is the New Yam Festival celebrated?
one week
The festival is celebrated for one week with several activities such as cultural performances, presentation of new yams, chieftaincy investitures and awards.
What is the feast of the New Yam?
The Feast of the New Yam is a celebration of life, accomplishments in the community, culture and well-being, and a way to thank and praise the goddess of the earth.
Why is the Yam Festival celebrated in Ghana?
Asogli-yam1
It is celebrated every September to thank God and also the gods and ancestors for a bumper harvest, and as an occasion to offer prayers for good health and prosperity.
How is Yam Festival celebrated in Igbo land?
A variety of festivities mark the eating of new yam. Folk dances, masquerades, parades, and parties create an experience that some participants characterize as “art”; the colorful festival is a spectacle of exhibited joy, thanks, and community display.
Which country celebrates Yam Festival?
of Ghana
The Yam Festival, known in the local Ewe dialect as “Te Za,” is a harvest festival in the Asogli State in the Volta Region of Ghana. The very colorful Yam Festival takes place in September of each year and is presided over by the paramount chief and president of the National House of Chiefs, King Togbe Afede XIV.
How is Yam Festival celebrated in Ghana?
Traditions. The first offering of the crop is made to the ancestral gods by the chief priest of the Ashanti; the religious rite includes taking the yams on the second day of the festival in a procession to the ancestral ground. Music and dance are part of the festivities on all the five days.
What is another name for New Yam Festival?
The New Yam Festival popularly known as “Orureshi, Iwa ji, Iri ji, Ike ji, or Otute (depending on dialect) is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo people usually held at the end of the rainy season in early August to October every year.
Where is yam festival celebrated in UK?
YAM Carnival will be held at Clapham Common in South West London. Public transport is the easiest way to get to the site.
Are yams celebrated in African ceremonies?
The Yam Festival is celebrated by members of ethnic groups like the Mahi, Nagot (Yoruba), Bariba, Dendi, and others, for whom yam is a staple crop and a marker of identity. Unlike cassava, maize, or rice, yam is a native product of these regions and is thus deeply rooted in the culture of their populations.
What do yams represent in the Igbo culture?
What do yams symbolize in the Igbo society? Yams are a very important crop and food source, so they symbolize the sustainability of life. They also symbolize masculinity, since they are considered the ”king of crops” and only men are allowed to grow them.
What time does yam carnival start?
11am till 11pm
What are the festival times? YAM Carnival will be open from 11am till 11pm.
What are the two chief foods in the feast of New Yam?
Yam foo-foo and vegetable soup was the chief food in the celebration. So much of it was cooked that, no matter how heavily the family ate or how many friends and relatives they invited from neighbouring villages, there was always a large amount of food left over at the end of the day.
What are the preparation of New Yam Festival?
It is considered taboo to eat the new yam before this festival. The high priest sacrifices a goat and pours its blood over a symbol representing the god of the harvest. Then the carcass is cooked and a soup is made from it, while the yams are boiled and pounded to make foofoo .
What are the three main festival in Ghana?
Here are our top picks.
- Traditional Festivals.
- Homowo – May.
- Aboakyir – May.
- Bakatue – July.
- Asafotufiam – August.
- Oguaa Fetu Afahye – September.
- Hogbetsotso – September.
- Akwasidae – Once every six weeks.
Which festival is the biggest in Ghana?
Homowo Festival
This can be considered as the biggest festival that is celebrated, by the people in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It is celebrated in May. Homowo, meaning ‘hooting at hunger’.
Why do we celebrate 6th March in Ghana?
Osagyefo In 1952, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah won the election to lead the Gold Coast administration after he won the Gold Coast legislative election in 1951. Led by the big six, the Gold Coast declared its independence from the British on 6 March 1957. The Gold Coast was named Ghana.
Who is the father of Igbo?
Eri
It is believed that the Igbo people descended from Eri, a divine figure who according to folklore, was sent from heaven to begin civilization. Eri was the son of Gad and Gad was one of the sons of Jacob from his concubine, as mentioned in the Bible.
How is Hareli celebrated?
Hareli which marks the beginning of Shravan month is considered to be the first festival of the state and has a special significance for the farmers. This is traditional farm festival and on this auspicious occasion, farmers worship their farm equipment and cows and celebrate this festival with great pomp and show.