The New Yam Festival is a deeply cherished cultural heritage celebrated by the Igbo community worldwide. For the Igbo Ottawa/Gatineau Association, this event is a landmark celebration with significant cultural, spiritual, social, and economic impacts. We express our gratitude to Jehovah, “He That Makes To Be,” for making this possible, and we acknowledge the labor of past leaders and members of the Igbo Ottawa/Gatineau Association who have sustained it over the years. Special credit goes to the new Executive led by High Chief Engr. Chidiebere Ahaotu and dynamic PRO, Mazi Chikezirim Nwakanma.

Why do we celebrate the New Yam Festival? What is the cultural symbolism of the ‘Yam’? The festival offers thanks to the Supreme deity, “Chukwu Okike Abiama,” for a bountiful harvest and seeks blessings for the upcoming season. Yam, as the king of crops, holds a sacred position among the Igbos and symbolizes wealth and success. The festival not only promotes our rich cultural heritage but also serves as a means to preserve it.

The Igbo society values unity and community, as reflected in the saying, “I am because we are and since we are, therefore I am.” The Igbos’ adaptability and community spirit are crucial traits that have helped them thrive globally. The New Yam Festival plays a pivotal role in promoting and preserving our cultural heritage. As Chinua Achebe noted, gathering together for such events strengthens our bonds and highlights our shared values. This year’s festival is particularly significant as it marks the first New Yam Festival in the history of our Association in Ottawa and coincides with the recent accreditation of the Igbo language in the Canadian education curriculum.

The festival offers an opportunity to showcase our rich cultural music, dances, attire, and costumes. It is a time for social interaction, allowing families and friends to come together and for our children to learn about our cultural heritage and values. We use this maiden edition as a clarion call to all our Igbo brothers and sisters in Ottawa/Gatineau to join the Association and make our community great. “Ofu onye adighi nma n’ije” (One person alone does not make a journey successful).

Igbo kwenu! Kwenu! Kwezuonu!