It's similar to our new year. Here's some more info:
http://www.african.net/newyam.htm
Many festivals take place in Things Fall Apart including: The Feast of the New Yam (New Year's) The Week of Peace The Feast in the Sky
The Feast of the New Yam can be described as a way of praising the earth goddess and the clan's ancestral spirits before harvest began. It was traditional to not allow anyone to consume the new yams until this was complete and was further described as Achebe suggests, "Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plenty- the new year," (36). Similar to other New Year customs, these people use the Feast of the New Yam to mark the start of a new beginning and making improvements. The old yams are thrown out and the new yams are supposedly healthier and fresh. The old yams were symbolic of old/ bad habits, and the new crops represent resolutions and a chance to start over. Similar to present day, the New Year is a joyous celebration and is a time for excitement and relief. The great wrestling match occurs on the second day of the celebration and serves as a connection between the people of Okonkwo's village and their neighbors.
People believe that in following the decisions of the Gods and Goddesses, they will not be punished, even if they may have to do unpleasant actions.
may
yam
The yam festival is very important to the Ibo because it celebrates the coming of the new yam harvest. The old yams are used in their all yam foods to make room for the new harvest. The homes are cleansed and the women prepare a feast of yams for the celebration.
Ekwefi loves the wrestling tournament that occurs during the Feast of the New Yam.
Okonkwo beat his wife before the feast of the new yam. Then when Ekwefi backtalks, he nearly kills her by shooting his gun near her. She is however physically unharmed.
Many festivals take place in Things Fall Apart including: The Feast of the New Yam (New Year's) The Week of Peace The Feast in the Sky
The women of the clan prepare for the feast of the new yam by engaging in various traditional activities, including cleaning and decorating their homes. They also cultivate and harvest the yams, ensuring they select the finest specimens for the celebration. Additionally, the women often prepare special dishes using the new yams and may participate in rituals to honor the yam spirit, symbolizing abundance and gratitude. This preparation reflects their cultural heritage and emphasizes the significance of the yam in their community.
In "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, the festivals that occur include the New Yam Festival, the Week of Peace, the Feast of the New Year, and the Egwugwu festival, among others. These festivals play significant roles in the traditional Igbo society depicted in the novel, showcasing their cultural beliefs, values, and social norms.
The Feast of the New Yam in "Things Fall Apart" serves as a way for the community to give thanks to the earth goddess Ani for the previous harvest and to seek her blessings for a bountiful yam harvest in the upcoming year. It is a celebration of the harvest and an occasion for the community to come together, reconcile differences, and strengthen social bonds.
The Feast of the New Yam can be described as a way of praising the earth goddess and the clan's ancestral spirits before harvest began. It was traditional to not allow anyone to consume the new yams until this was complete and was further described as Achebe suggests, "Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plenty- the new year," (36). Similar to other New Year customs, these people use the Feast of the New Yam to mark the start of a new beginning and making improvements. The old yams are thrown out and the new yams are supposedly healthier and fresh. The old yams were symbolic of old/ bad habits, and the new crops represent resolutions and a chance to start over. Similar to present day, the New Year is a joyous celebration and is a time for excitement and relief. The great wrestling match occurs on the second day of the celebration and serves as a connection between the people of Okonkwo's village and their neighbors.
This depends on the version of the book you have. There are several ancestral feasts mentioned, though it is not completely clear which feasts are ancestral feasts. Further, many feasts such as the Feast of the New Yam cover several pages, if not several chapters.
Papua New Guineans do not really celebrate the yam. They just cook and eat it in many ways, some for survival.
Yam Masks
The duration of I Yam What I Yam is 420.0 seconds.