Igbo Association In Canada Celebrates New Yam Festival

<h4>Igbo Association In Canada Celebrates New Yam Festival<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p>OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Igbo cultural Association of Edmonton has celebrated the inaugural Yam Festival amidst pomp and pageantry on Saturday&comma; August 6&comma; 2022 in Edmonton&comma; Canada&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Igbo Cultural Association of Edmonton &lpar;ICAE&rpar; founded in 2002&comma; is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the Igbo people in Edmonton and its environs&period; ICAE has over the years been a uniting platform for many immigrants of Igbo descent and their families who live in Edmonton and surrounding cities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>ICAE provides a unique platform through which the Igbos express their unique identity while promoting the Canadian multicultural mosaic&period; ICAE’s mission includes&colon;<br &sol;>&NewLine;• to promote Igbo language and culture through Igbo language school&comma; Iri Ji festival&comma; cultural dances&comma; Igbo music including Igbo Choir&comma; and other Igbo cultural events<br &sol;>&NewLine;• to advance Igbo community interest in Edmonton and its vicinity<br &sol;>&NewLine;• to promote the welfare of members including children&comma; youths&comma; and families<br &sol;>&NewLine;• to support Edmonton’s cultural diversity through active contact and collaboration with other cultural associations&semi; and<br &sol;>&NewLine;• to enhance healthy community interactions through cultural&comma; social&comma; and economic activities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Igbos are predominantly from the eastern part of Nigeria&period; They make up a large part of the African ethnocultural group of immigrants in Edmonton&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Iri Ji &lpar;New Yam&rpar; celebration is one of the profound cultural celebrations of the Igbo people both in their homeland and in the diaspora&period; The celebration marks the beginning of the yearly harvest of ji &lpar;yam&rpar; – a food crop of great significance in Igboland&period; ICAE’s maiden Iri Ji celebration was held on August 6&comma; 2022&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The highlights of the celebration include Iwa Ji &lpar;Cutting New Yam&rpar;&comma; traditional masquerade performances&comma; different traditional dances&sol;music&comma; yam-based delicacies&comma; and other foods&period; It will be a glamorous occasion attended by many dignitaries and people from our province and beyond&period; All are invited to join ICAE in this celebration&period; Admission is free&excl;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"jetpack-video-wrapper"><amp-youtube data-videoid&equals;"4lQvTAGHFvc" layout&equals;"responsive" width&equals;"600" height&equals;"338"><&sol;amp-youtube><&sol;div>&NewLine;