ABSTRACT
The rites extend over a period of thirty-two days and begin with a ceremonial announcement. On the day before this announcement, Obot Liboku collects obligatory contributions of palm wine from all returning to the village with wine, and places the large jars of wine in the Village Head's compound. Like so many peoples who depend directly on the cultivation of the soil for the maintenance of both the individual and the community, the Yakö mark the main phases of the agricultural cycle by collective ceremonies. These seasonal rites are undoubtedly an expression of the values attached to the thorough and punctual performance of successive tasks in cultivation and of the appreciation of the rewards that flow from these farming activities. Twice a year, however, in the First Fruits rites, and in the Harvest rites at the end of the agricultural year, the relative status of these organizations is symbolically expressed in an elaborate series of ceremonials.
