New Yam Festival of the Igbo
| New Yam Festival of the Igbo | |
|---|---|
Igbos in diaspora celebrating Ịwa-Jị in Dublin, Ireland | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Festival |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location | Abia State |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Activity | Celebrating the new Yam |
| People | Igbo People |
The New Yam Festival of the Igbo people (known as Orureshi in Idoma, or Ịwa jị ⓘ, Iri jị, Ike jị, or Otute, depending on dialect) is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo people, held at the end of the rainy season in early August.
The Iri jị festival (literally 'new-yam eating') is practiced throughout West Africa (especially in Nigeria and Ghana) and other African Countries and beyond. It symbolizes the conclusion of a harvest and the beginning of the next work cycle. The celebration is a cultural occasion tying individual Igbo communities together as essentially agrarian and dependent on yam.