List evidence which shows the importance of the yam to Ibo culture. What is the purpose of the Feast of the New Yam? (Chapter 5)
Nearly every aspect of Igbo culture is gender specific. This even includes the food that they grow. Because Yams are a staple in the Igbo diet and helps the man support his family, it is given the higher status of a "man's crop".Check out this quote,
"His mother and sisters worked hard enough, but they grew women’s crops, like coco-yams, beans and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop."
The Feast of the New Yam approaches. It marks the beginning of harvest season. All old yams are disposed of, and new and tasty yams are eaten for the feasts. The New Yam marks the start of a new year, and the beginning of a season of plenty.
