CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF IGUE FESTIVAL TO THE BENIN PEOPLE

Cultural norms and values are ingrained in the beliefs of every cultural group or people. Every culture contains a set of norms and values that are deeply embedded and taught as religious practices that allow certain individuals to try to connect. Like all other people, the Benin people have rich heritage which they have re-enact through festivals that are part of their culture and traditions. One such event that has persisted for a long time is the Igue festival celebrated annually by the Benin people. Overtime, this festival have become a phenomena where traditional beliefs are at work.1 In the Benin, the various ceremonies are traditional religious and cultural practices blended and married in an effort to connect people to the distant ancestral past. The ancestors, despite their distance, are acknowledged as the sustainers of everything. Without a doubt, the religious purposes associated with the Ugie (ceremonies) serve to both inspire and enlighten the people as humanity tries to connect with the divine through its cosmological experiences.2 Many religions, and cultures around the world have various festevals, which serve as reminder of things that are very important to the community