21/10/2024
WELCOME TO LHMBZAAR FESTIVAL 2024. WITHNESS AND ENJOY THE UNIQUE ZAAR CULTURE.
BY: Comrade John Rica Emmanuel.
Lhmbzaar is a traditional festival of thanks having annually performed by the Zaar people of Southern Bauchi State Nigeria.
The festival has been in existence for over 3,000 years. It is usually performed by the Singwaari(Chief priest) who is the religious leader of the Zaar people, he is the authority responsible for intermediation between the Almighty God(Chong fyali) and the other gods as believed by the zaar people such as: chong vhon, chong waar, etc.
It is believed that chongvol gives rain fir the zaar people to till the ground for agricultural activities while chongfyali blesses the farms with bountiful harvest, and in the same barn, chong waar protects against theft, witchcrafting and wickedness of all sort.
Therefore the zaar culture believes that a special thanks having is made before eating the farm produce.
During the lhmbzaar festival, the King who is the ceremonial leader, accepts the sighting of the moon which is the ritual that allows interaction between the supreme diety and the zaar people through the singwaari and his fivine team. The king will speak words if thank giving, and admonish the people to use the produce that the God's have given us judiciously. To avoid troubles and leave peacefully with each other as brothers.. no one should marry another woman's wife, anyone that hasn't performed the traditional rites of marriage should do so, no young girl should commit a taboo by becoming pregnant our of wedlock. Thieves should repent and embrace a noble handwork, witches and wizards should repent and embrace holiness that will brings them integrity.
After the admonishing, the chief priest will pray for everyone and then the cultural troops will burst into the dance floor, displaying the various cultures of Zaar people. It's usually a match pass parade of dancers, ranging from : nalangwurbai, nah lhbhrthi, kamas, na gungshi, zhogha, nahlaab, myaru, nah bhthrshi nah kalangdjuati, etc.
The festival brings zaar people from various backgrounds geographical areas, various settlements, various cities, from diaspora, etc.
It avils the opportunity to cmsocialise, familiarise and relate happily in the spirit of brotherhood. Young girls who are not betrothed can find suitors there and marry. New friendships are established during lhmbzaar, and the entire zaar land is happy and peaceful during lhmbzaar festival, this pleases Chongfyali and as a result, he blessed zaar people and protect them, defending zaar territorial boundaries against invaders and encroachment of any sort.
Economically, the lhmbzaar brings great fortune to zaar business men and the rate of turnover is very high during lhmbzaar leading yo a high margin. It generally grows zaar economy as people from all corners of the world comes in with monies and spend it in zaar land. Businesses such as hotels, restaurants, cultural attains, transportation, etc are highly active such that they experience scarcity due to high demands as a result of high population during lhmbzaar.
Many people prefers to attend lhmbzaar than yo attend Christmas.
Another unique thing about lhmbzaar is that during lhmbzaar, the weather is relatively friendly, not hot and not too cold. It allows people to dress as they so wish. Many other activities also spice up the festival, such activities as the zaar land cleansing prayers which is done by the Christians, Miss zaar national contest which is a beauty pageant contest between all the state branches across Nigera, it brings the branch queen's such as Miss Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Jos, Gombe, Bauchi, Pusji, Gill, etc, to contes for Miss national. Another ecmvent is an annual musical concert that opens up the door for talented young musicians in zaar land to be scouted by higher brands and record lebels.
Lhmbzaar comes with such a great opportunity that only the Devil himself would want to postpone the festival for whatever reason, as postponing lhmbzaar will deny zaar people their usual communion with their God and as well deny zaar land of such a peaceful and happy moment and as well lead to a great loss economically.
Missing this festival either by zaar people or non zaar people is never a good experience at all and nobody wishes to miss it any year.
The lhmbzaar 2024 is here again, come and experience zaar land at its beauty, happy and peaceful mode and as well on top of its economic boom.
Hope to see you there.
