Igbo for Kids

The four market days

Discover the Igbo week, the Igbo calendar and the great New Yam Festival.

Lesson 1 of 3

A week with four days

In traditional Igbo life, a week is not seven days. It has only four! Each day is named after a market day.

The four days are Eke, Orie, Afọ and Nkwọ. A week is called izu.

Tap a day to meet it

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Many Igbo names come from market days. Okeke was born on Eke, Okafọ on Afọ, Okonkwo on Nkwọ and Okorie on Orie.

Lesson 2 of 3

A month is called onwa, which also means “moon”. A year is afọ.

In the traditional calendar, 7 weeks of 4 days make a month of 28 days.

There are 13 months in the Igbo year. Since 13 × 28 = 364, the traditional year has 364 days!

Try it yourself: 4 days × 7 weeks = 28 days in a month.

Tap each number to count!

Lesson 3 of 3

Every year, in July or August, many Igbo communities celebrate the New Yam Festival. It happens in the month called Onwa Ifejiọkụ.

The yam is a very important crop. Before anyone eats the new yams, people give thanks for the harvest.

There are drums, dancing, bright clothes and a big meal with family and neighbours.

It is a time to say thank you, to share and to welcome the new season.

★ quiz

How many days are in a traditional Igbo week (izu)? → 4. An izu has four days, named after four market days.

Which of these is a market day? → Afọ. The four are Eke, Orie, Afọ and Nkwọ.

What does “onwa” mean? → Moon and month. Onwa means moon, and also month.

How many days are in the traditional Igbo year? → 364. 13 months × 28 days = 364 days.

What crop do we thank at the New Yam Festival? → Yam. The yam is the star of the festival.