The Boki people give the region different traditions and customs that are unique to the district. Traditional dress for men consists of loincloths and a white long-sleeved shirt with a broad hat. Some men also carry a walking stick. Women usually wear wrappers or a blouse, and head scarf.
Major events include the Boki New Yam Festival, Irruan Boki Local Government Area Edien festival, and Borum & Buanchor Cassava Festivals which is also celebrated by other Boki communities on July 16th. Music and dance are common in Boki culture and are played during festivals as well as social occasions. Common instruments include: the Obam, Mgbe, Atam, Obon, Bekarim, Awaribo, Obashi and Enya-Atu. Other traditions include inter-village cultural dance, age-grade meetings, burial ceremonies and communal farming.
Boki is also known for its traditional African markets and many towns have their own market days, such as in Okundi, Ntamante, Kakwagom, Wula, Bateriko, Katchuan and others...
Yams are the first crop to be harvested, and are the most important crop of the region. The New Yam Festival is therefore a celebration depicting the prominence of yam in the social-cultural life of boki people. The evening prior to the day of the festival, all old yams (from the previous year's crop) are consumed or discarded. This is because it is believed that the New Year must begin with tasty, fresh yams instead of the old dried-up crops of the previous year. The next day, only dishes of yam are served at the feast, as the festival is symbolic of the abundance of the produce.
Though the style and methods may differ from one community to the next, the essential components that make up the festival remain the same. In some communities the celebration lasts a whole day, while in many places it may last a week or more. These festivities normally include a variety of entertainments and ceremony, including the performance of rites by the chiefs, or the eldest man, and cultural dances by boki men, women, and their children. The festival features boki cultural activities in the form of contemporary shows, masquerade dances, and fashion parades.
HAPPY NEW YAM FESTIVAL TO ALL CITIZENS, FRIENDS AND WELL WISHERS OF BOKI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
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