 | | Iwaji ceremony - Village farmers |
Organised by United Igbo and Friends West Midlands, the Iwaji annual event is now in it’s seventh year and will be held at The Drum in Newtown, Birmingham on Saturday 6th August. The African spectacular event draws people from all over the United Kingdom, bringing communities together in celebration of an important calendar event for Igbo people all over world. Iwaji 2005 celebrations at The Drum Attractions include:  | | Iwaji - children's cultural dance |
- Igbo Women Dancers
- Igbo Men Dancers
- Children’s Dance
- Cultural Fashion Show
- Performance of New Yam rites
- African food and drink
- Display of Nigerian artefacts
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About Iwaji (the New Yam Festival) - written by Dr Chike F. Oduoza, United Igbo & Friends W.Mids, Cultural Secretary Yam is the main agricultural crop of the Igbos and also the staple food of our people. The New Yam Festival known as ‘Iwa-Ji’ or ‘Iri-Ji’ is a celebration depicting the prominence of yam in the social-cultural life of our people. Giving God thanks  | | Iwaji ceremony - Village farmers |
During the festival we thank God for the arrival of the new harvest of yams and perform traditional rites to declare the new yam fit for general consumption. It presents the right conditions for all and sundry, family and friends to come together and demonstrate their commitment and solidarity to the local community The Igbos celebrate the new yam festival in a variety of ways and in some communities the festivities last the whole day and in many places it may stretch up to one week or even more. Iwaji is therefore an important event in the calendar of Igbo people all over the world. Igbo tradition  | | Iwaji - ceremony Igwe (King) |
Harvesting of this crop typically happens around the month of August, which is the time to give thanks to God for the new yam and to celebrate the tasting of the yam. The event also marks the end of an annual work cycle and the beginning of a new one. This ceremony has been celebrated for centuries and remains an important day in the lives of Igbo people. Iwaji ceremony During the ceremony there is a lot of variety entertainment including performance of ceremonial rites by the Igwe (King), cultural dances by Igbo men, women and their children as well as a display of Igbo cultural activities in the form of contemporary shows, fashion parade, and feasting at a grand scale on a wide variety of food making up the menu of the Igbos. There is a lot to eat and drink and attendance at the festival is from all over the United Kingdom and overseas. Annual celebration of the New Yam Festival 2005  | | Iwaji - Women's cultural dance |
- Date: 6th August 2005
- Start time: 6.30pm
- Venue: The Drum, 144, potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham, B45 4UU
- Tickets: Adults £15, Under 16's & senior citizens £5
- Tel: 0121 333 2400
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For more information about Iwaji 2005 visit the website: www.ndigboatmidlands.com United Igbo & Friends W.Mids The Igbos come from the eastern part of Nigeria in the West Coast of Africa and are one of the main Nigerian ethnic groups. They occupy at least six out of the thirty six states in Nigeria today. The Igbo culture is rich and versatile and dates back many centuries. The Igbo Community in Birmingham and the West Midlands has an estimated population of two thousand people. United Igbo and friends West Midlands association is a community organisation of all the Igbos resident in the West Midlands. | 
