Agricultural Rites is a very ancient Afrikan tradition and also the manner in which different Afrikan cultural groups perceive and use land influences their agricultural rituals. In the communities, that rely heavliy on agriculture for both their sustenance and economy, compared with herding people’s, the rituals surrounding agriculture are central to the people and the most elaborate. They are sacred rites that secure the communites “continued survival”.

In many cultures, the agricultural cycle, along with its accompanying weather, mark time and define the year: planting, harvesting, the dry season, the rainy season followed by planting again. For example the names of the months found among the Latuka people (South Sudan) include “Let them dig!”, “Grain in the Ear,”, “Dirty Mouth,” and “Sweet Grain,” show how agricultural cycles influence everyday time reckoning. People traditionally keep track of their ages in terms of how many agricultural cycles they have lived through.

Children are named according to these cycles such as Azmera which is a female name from Ethiopia meaning harvest and Wekesa, a male name from the Luya of Kenya which means born during harvest time. Agricultural rites can be divided into three general categories: those for planting, maturation and harvesting of crops. Planting rituals prepare the ground, seeds, tools and peoplefor the upcoming growing season to ensure the crops success.

Maturation rituals occur once the crops begin growing and address factors that can keep crops from ripening properly, such as not enough, or too much water, insects or animals. Harvest rituals give thanks for the crop and are the most festive occasions. All of the rituals in the agricultural cycle acknowledge and propitiate various spiritual forces involved in the producing of food.