New Yam Festival

What is Yam

Yam is among the edible tubers Yams are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and tropical regions, especially in West Africa, South America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Oceania (Wikipedia). There are various species of yams. Yams are particularly celebrated in the eastern part of Nigeria where they are regarded as the king of crops. Yams are reported to be an excellent source of fibre, high in potassium and manganese, which are important for supporting bone health, growth, metabolism, and heart function.

The Yam Crop Growing on Sticks

Yams are grown vertically on sticks in the field. The tubers are harvested by digging them out of the soil beneath the plants at the end of the planting season. Staking is a method of elevating creeping vines above ground level by means of supporting structures(Ogidi Olu Farms).

Yams are staked before vines start crawling on the ground. The recommended stake length is one to two meters and a stake to every plant.The farmers would visit the farms daily to tend to the yams and guide them to climb the stake. This ensures they get good sunshine to guarantee a bountiful harvest.

Mythology of Yam Festivals

Once upon a time, a severe famine struck an unnamed Igbo land. Plants withered and animals died. The people were livid. They pressured their king every day for a solution. Eze Nri, the king, spent many nights awake in search of an end to the famine. He was told that he had to kill his children. After killing them, he cut their bodies into small pieces before burying them. Six months later, plants grew out of the place where the body parts were buried. When Eze harvested them, he found yams and cocoyams. The yams brought the village out of the great famine. It is believed this Eze Nri’s dead son is the god of yam, Ahijoku, and Ada, his daughter was the cocoyam. Sometimes in Igbo mythology, the yam deity is a goddess called Ahia Njoku. Njoku is represented by the yam barns, with an effigy and a shrine (medium.com).

History of Yam Festivals

Yams are the first crops to be harvested and are therefore the most important in Igbo land. Igbo people are agrarian by nature and so yam is an important element of their culture. The New Yam Festival, Iwaji is done in honor of Ahiajoku (Ajoku, Njoku, Ajokwuji). The word, Iwaji/Iriji means eating yam. The new yam signifies the fruitful end to a work year and the beginning of a new one. The practice was said to have begun at the Arochukwu community and as time went by, the practice spread around to other Igbo communities. In some places, the festival lasts a whole day while in others, the festival extends up until a week. The festival is a celebration of the importance of yam in the socio-cultural lives of the people of the community. It was described as the crowning ceremony of the year. The new yam is evidence of a good life with accomplishments.

When is the Festival

The New Yam Festival is an annual tradition observed by the Igbo People of Eastern Nigeria. In some Igbo communities, the celebration lasts a day but in some other communities, it usually takes a week. This festival is core to the ancient Igbo culture as the Igbos see yam as the king of all crops. To depict its prominence, The Igbos observe this festival to thank the gods for a good harvest. At Mbaise in Imo State it is celebrated on the 15 August of every year.