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New Yam Festival is the most important event in the calendar of Igbo people all over the world.
Yams are the first crop to be harvested, and are the most important crop of the region. The New Yam Festival is therefore a celebration depicting the prominence of yam in the social-cultural life of Igbo people. The evening prior to the day of the festival, all old yams (from the previous year’s crop) are consumed or discarded. This is because it is believed that the New Year must begin with tasty, fresh yams instead of the old dried-up crops of the previous year. The next day, only dishes of yam are served at the feast, as the festival is symbolic of the abundance of the produce.
Also See: Top 10 Most Popular Festivals In Anambra State
Though the style and methods may differ from one community to the next, the essential components that make up the festival remain the same. In some communities the celebration lasts a whole day, while in many places it may last a week or more. These festivities normally include a variety of entertainments and ceremony, including the performance of rites by the Igwe (King), or the eldest man, and cultural dances by Igbo men, women, and their children. The festival features Igbo cultural activities in the form of contemporary shows, masquerade dances, and fashion parades.
Also See: List of Traditional Festivals celebrated in Igbo Land
1, Iri Ji Mbaise. 15th August
2. Afiaolu Nnewi
3 Otiti Anam, Iwaji Ananm. 25th August
3. Iri Ji Akpulu. 4th August
4. Iwa Ji Awgbu. 7th September
5. Iri ji Ozubulu. September-26
6. Iri Ji Osina. 4th August
7. Iri Ji Amanato. 28 August
8. Iri Ji Achi in Oji River. October 15th
9. Iri Ji Akama oghe. 18 August
10. Iwa Ji Ihembosi. september 28
Also See: Top 10 most popular traditional dance in Igbo land
11. Iri Ji Ozizza in Afikpo north 23 August
12. Ikeji Abagana. -3rd and 4th August
13 Ikeji Izuogu. 20th September
14. Iri Ji Iheme. 20th September
15. Iri Ji Agulu. August 31th
16. Iri Ji Awkuzu