Text of Comparative study of Harvest Festivals in India & Africa
1. The YAM FESTIVAL is a popular holiday in Ghana and Nigeria,
usually held in the beginning of august at the end of rainy season.
It is named after yams, the most common food in many African
countries. It is also know as lkeji in Nigeria . In Nigeria,
dancers were wear masks that reflects the seasons or other aspects
of nature. YAM FESTIVAL
2. KWANZAA is a week long celebration held in US and also
celebrated in western African Diaspora in other nations of the
Americas. It was crated by Maulana karenga, and was first
celebrated in 1966-67. Kwanzaa has seven core principles.
KWANZAA
3. HOMOWO Homowo is a festival celebrated by Ga people of
Ghana. The festival starts in the month of May with the planting of
crops before the rainy season starts. The tradition of Homowo
started with a period of hunger leading to famine due to failure of
the seasonal rains needed by crops in the Greater Accra Region,
where the Ga people predominantly dwell.
4. Makar sankranti marks the transitions of the sun into the
zodiac sign of Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. The
day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India and is
a traditional. Makara sankranti is a solar event making one of the
few Indian festivals which fall on the same date in Gregorian
calendar every year:14 jan. MAKAR SANKRANTI
5. HOLI One of the major festival of India, Holi is celebrated
with enthusiasm and gaiety on full moon day in the month of PHALGUN
which is the month of march as per the Gregorian calendar. Holi is
also called the SPRING FESTIVAL- as it marks the arrival of spring
the season of hope and joy.
6. It is a festival of Mizoram India. It is celebrated during
march after completing of their most arduous task of jhum operation
i.e., jungle- clearing. It is a spring festival celebrated with
great fervor and gaiety. Chapchar Kut is heal annually in month of
march. KUT FESTIVAL
7. It is celebrated mainly by the farming community in the
month of Shravan. The farmers worship their farm equipment and
cows. They place branches and leaves of Bhelwa tree in the fields
and play for good crops, and hang neem branches at the entrance of
the house to prevent from seasonal diseases HARELI FESTIVAL
8. NUAKHAI NUAKHAI is an agriculture festival mainly observed
by people of western odisha in India. It is observed to welcome the
new rice of the season. According to THE HINDU calendar it is
observed on panchami tithi of the lunar fortnight of the month of
bhadrapada.
