Festivals

WAKTARI

DSC_0358

This festival was usually hosted by the Chief’s council members or the palace chiefs. No wicked man was allowed to host the festival, it was a festival of purity. The festival of prayers on seeds before the rainy season of the year. The fundamental reasons for this festival were:

  1. To seek from God of creation (Chong Fyali) his blessings on the seeds to be planted.
  2. To seek his protection against evil forces that could attack and destroy the plants.
  3. To seek for sufficient and blessed rain for the growth of the crops.
  4. To seek for his favor for a bumper harvest.
  5. To seek for the provisions of good health which could enable them till the ground for a successful farming season.

LHMB ZAAR

DSC_0355

This was a festival of thanksgiving to Chong Fyali for honoring his word by granting them a successful farming season with a bumper harvest. It was a festival for them to thank Gos for allowing them to eat the new farm produce. To show the sign a fresh guinea corn was pounded and mixed with water and placed at the frontage of all the houses with a bunch of Lacoste bean leaves soaked in the flour called “MBORR”.  Signifying SATISFACTION and ABUNDANCE.  Each family member make a mark at the back and on the chest with the soaked flour by smearing the bean leaves at the back or the chest. On this festival day, young boys and girls wore their new traditional dresses. Espoused girls were brought to their future husband’s family houses for visit for the first time but they were not allowed to sit together.