African harvest festivals have a lot
of religious connotations. African harvest festivals are characterized
with lot of dancing and singing. Dancers wear traditional masks and
outfits. Each dance sequence unfolds a unique story. Festival of Yams is
a popular harvest festival celebrated with days of ceremonies and
offerings to God and ancestors. It is later distributed among the
village folk. It is usually held in the month of August, marking the end
of rainy season.
Homowo-meaning hooting at hunger, is another popular
festival of Africa. It is the largest cultural festival of its kind. The
Homowo festival commences with a traditional procession with local
Africans portraying the role of kings and queens. The ceremony of 'First
Fruits' is popular in various states of Africa. It involves blessing the
newly harvested crops and purifying people before eating food.
