Honestly, having to discuss culture requires someone who is strongly rooted in the dealings of his people. However, I have, right from my childhood observed every stage it takes to achieve each festival celebrated among my people. As an Igbo man by ethnicity, precisely a son of the lake "Oguta" in Imo State, Nigeria's south eastern region, I will be discussing the 'IRI JI' (New yam) festival.
What is Iri Ji (New Yam) Festival?
The Igbo people celebrate the new yam festival as an annual cultural event. This celebration takes place towards the end of the rainy season, in the first few weeks of August. The festival is held to commemorate the end of a farming season and the start of harvest. This highly cultural event brings together several Igbo communities. Eating the new yam before the festival is celebrated is considered taboo by the early Igbos.
What people do not know. NEW YAM FESTIVAL IS A PROCESS
This festival is a process that starts every January and ends August. "Let me walk you through it".
In my area, farming season generally starts in the early weeks of January. Unlike the Northern part of the country that has a Savannah landscape, the south eastern region of Nigeria is blessed with rain forest. However, the process starts with bush clearance which usually takes a duration of approximately three months. This cleared bushes are left to dry until the first rain which usually comes mid of march before setting them on fire. As a matter of fact, this bushes burning event took over my birthday celebration as a child because while growing up, my people usually see march 15 as the ideal day for it.
After bush burning, cultivation of crops begins. Yam as the major crop is cultivated towards the first week of April. This farming season is ongoing till the day of iri ji (New yam) festival.
The New Yam Festival Road Map
To many who do not understand what new yam festival is, the think that the one day celebration done is August is the festival but that isn't true. The New yam festival is a forty days celebration.
Why did I say so? Mostly, towards the end of June or beginning of July, the process starts with what my people refers to "ITO NKWA". This process is done by the elders who gather themselves in the high priest place. The next activity comes eight days after Ito Nkwa which is known as "IGBA OWU". Though civilization has affected all these things but in the early People, night before the IGBA OWU, all the newborn male child are presented to the high priest while their female counterparts are decorated with "NZUU", in English sacred chalk.
Four days after Igba Owu, the night Okorosha (Masquerade) comes out. The night masquerade takes a duration of 8 days, and then ends with the Ikwo Emume celebration. Finally, it takes 8 days after Ikwo Emume celebration for the real day light Okorosha (Masquerade) to come out. The duration of the day light masquerade differs in communities. In my own community, it has a duration of 12 days of which the 12th day is the D-day for the new yam festival.
Welcome to our New Yam Festival
Finally the day is here, the end of masquerade. Beautiful Masquerade dancing to the new yam festival. Always a colorful day with different designs of masquerade. OMG, I wish this prompt came towards August, I would have given you a first class experience.
Basically, the festival is filled with dance and great performance from different masquerade groups. The occasion tables are enriched with heavy roasted yams and fresh palm oil with jars of palm wine surrounding it.
In the earlier way of celebration, the high priest sacrifices a goat and pours its blood over a symbol representing the god of the harvest, seems civilization has affected this part, though some people still do it but not openly.
What did I enjoy the most about this festival
Those days, it used to a medium of togetherness. People from different household comes out and celebrate with others. Then, even people resident outside the villages takes a trip back to the village just to enjoy this beautiful celebration. So you see, it kind of brought about reunion.
What has changed so far, Do I hate it now?
Honestly, I do not hate it but so many things has gone wrong. The festival is not the issue, we humans are. First, we celebrated new yam festival because we were heavy producers of yam tubers but now we no longer produce that much yam, instead we result to buying from other regions.
Secondly, the masquerade process which was a gleam of beauty to the celebration has been turned into a witch hunt activity. People now hides under the mask to carry out their evil intent towards others.
Lastly, the fact that women are prohibited from associating with masquerade is a big turn off for me. I have seen a masquerade flog a lady to the point of giving her multiple injuries and seriously, we can not allow such wickedness to exist. It's an abuse.
The religions part of it.....hmmmmmmmm, sorry but I do not discuss religion so do whatever your mind deems appropriate.
Thanks for reading
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