Scores of families attended this year’s New Yam Festival, called Iwaji 2022, this weekend.
An explosion of colours and patterns brightened the Bettridge Centre in Newtonhill on Saturday as many came dressed in their very best.
Running from 1pm-6pm, the event which is celebrated every year in different communities in Nigeria, was back in person for the first time since Covid.
The day was filled with dancing, thanksgiving and food as many from the Aberdeen Igbo community enjoyed coming together to celebrate.
What is the New Yam Festival?
Celebrated annually in Nigeria at the end of the rainy season in early august, the New Yam Festival aims to celebrate and thank God for this year’s harvest.
It is an important event for Igbo people all over the world and is a joyful celebration that seeks to strengthens unity within communities.
The festival uses yam to do this as it is seen as one of the most handy crops in Nigeria with some calling it the “king of the crops”.
Organised by the Igbo Community Association (ICA), they aim to support and bring together people from the Igbo community, one of the biggest tribes in Nigeria.
Chairman of the Igbo Community Aberdeen, Engr Anthony Anyika said: “This year’s theme focused a celebration of life, accomplishments in the community, culture, and well-being.”
The Secretary of ICA, Edward Obi added: “The event serves as a reminder of the ideas, customs and social behaviours of the Igbo people.
“The uniqueness of the event itself was exemplary considering the visual spectacle of coherence, of dance, of joy and feasting”.
A time to celebrate peace and community
On the day, the chairman opens the main ceremony and someone prays and reminds everyone of the purpose and culture behind the gathering.
A symbolic roasted tuber of yam is displayed, cut and then is shared around for everyone to eat. Entertainment and the feast then follows.
The chairman of the Iwaji Planning Committee, Peter Ogbummor, said the event took almost a year of planning.
Mr Ogbummor said: “It was not an easy task but with determination and focus the overall objective was achieved.”
He added the event could not of gone ahead without a highly “effective” team that “worked diligently” to help carry out the festival.
Chinedu Christopher, vice chairman for the IWAJI planning committee, said this traditional festival has been passed down from generation to generation.
“People come together happily to celebrate and eat together,” he said.
“It is very good culture and helps with harmonisation and breaking down differences between different clans and different towns because it is a time for happiness, it’s a time to be grateful.
“The yam is cut in peace which is the most important part and food is shared.”
Using dance to pass traditions onto the next generation
One of the dance groups who performed at the festival was Touch of Love Outreach’s new dance troupe.
Formed from a two week kid’s club held during summer aimed at helping those from an ethnic minority family, the group consists of children aged eight to 14.
Jane Akadiri, one of the founders of Touch of Love Outreach said: “The focus was to have the children build their interest in arts, dance and music and a way to support their health and mental well being.”
Focused on African dances, around 45 children took part in the performances at the festival.
‘A joyful day for everyone’
Reflecting on her own memories from attending the festival, Mrs Akadiri said it was a day to have fun and be thankful.
She added: “I’ve always been part of New Yam Festival from when I was a child.
“It’s always very glamorous with a lot of beautiful, colourful African dresses and there’s a good buzz.
“There’s a lot of dances, presentations and performances. It’s just a joyful day for everyone.”
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