ọdun Ijẹṣu
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Yoruba[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- ọdún Ùjuṣu (Èkìtì)
- ọdún Ụ̀jẹṣu (Èkìtì)
Etymology[edit]
From ọdún (“festival, holiday”) + ì- (“nominalizing prefix”) + jẹ (“to eat”) + iṣu (“yam”)
Pronunciation[edit]
Proper noun[edit]
ọdún Ìjẹṣu
- (Àkúrẹ́) a festival celebrating the yam harvest and fertility deities, it is often the most important festival in a Yorùbá town, especially Eastern Yorùbá towns. It is usually held at the end of August or beginning of September. Citizens are traditionally forbidden from eating any yams until the rites of the festival are completed.
- Synonym: Ìjẹṣu
Usage notes[edit]
- Many towns will have festivals that coincide with the yam harvest in September, but they. may not be regarded as "ọdún Ìjẹṣu," however, they often incorporate the same elements of harvesting yam and praying to fertility deities.
- Towns may often have several new yam festivals in one year, dedicated to specific deities, or a unique festival for the yams of the monarch
Related terms[edit]
(fertility deities often worshipped in yam festivals)
(rituals related to yam festivals)
(towns or people that celebrate new yam festival)