Ghana Team Journal


Join Us this August & Enjoy some Yams!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Have you been considering a service program in Ghana this summer? Can't quite figure out when to go? Well, if you are available in early August you may want to consider volunteer & celebrating the Yam Festival! Read on to learn about this unique, cultural celebration.

The Yam Festival is a popular holiday in Ghana and Nigeria, usually held in the beginning of August at the end of the rainy season. It is named after yams, the most common food in many African countries. It is also known as "Ikeji" in Nigeria. In Nigeria, dancers wear masks that reflect the seasons or other aspects of nature.

Yams are the first crops of the season to be harvested. People offer yams to gods and ancestors before distributing them to the villagers to give thanks to the spirits above them.

~ Information courtesy of Wikipedia

0 comments: