CHANGE AND CONTINUITY IN IRI JI MBAISE, 1940_1990

This study examines the change and continuity in the Iri Ji (New Yam) Mbaise festival from 1940 to 1990, with a focus on how the festival has adapted to social transformation while retaining core cultural values. The aim is to understand how indigenous Igbo traditions respond to external influences such as colonial administration, Christianity, modernization, and shifting community life. The research adopts a historical and qualitative approach, relying on oral interviews, archival sources, textbooks, and secondary literature. Findings show that although modern religious and social developments have altered certain practices such as ritual performances, dress patterns, and ceremonial processes the festival continues to function as a symbol of identity, unity, ancestral reverence, and agricultural celebration within Mbaise society. The study concludes that the Iri Ji festival embodies both continuity and change, demonstrating cultural resilience through selective adaptation rather than total transformation. This research contributes to scholarly understanding of African cultural survival, showing how traditions remain relevant by evolving with time while maintaining their foundational purpose.