User:Almota23/Awon Festival

Awon Festival also regarded as Awon Mass Wedding is a cultural wedding in form of festival that do take place in Shao in Moro Local Government of Kwara State, it marked every October in the town annually, it is a festival when the young girls of marriage age in Shao are given out in marriage all at once. During this festival people of Shao are also hospitable, they Cook for people who come to celebrate with them.The Awon Mass Wedding help diversify the Kwara state employment, economy to the people both the youth, women and even less privilege skilled and unskilled in the community.

History
The historical background of the festival is on this Omo Larele; ( the son of Larele) a hunter, who, each time he went for hunting, he has been a custom to him, he would call at a small stream to drink water. On a occasions, he met a strange woman with only one breast. Traditionlly, the woman claims that the emerged to Omo Larele whom she claimed the ownership of the water which he had been drinking. She didn't show any resentment to him instead, she asked to be led to Oba Olanibo, the first Ohoro of Shao. As the myth goes, it is believed that the woman spent eighteen days with the people of Shao and she left after holding a meeting with Ohoro and his chiefs, in appreciation of the time spent in the community, interesting of her way, she chose a path and ordered, among them the Baruba hunter who believed to be there to cut the bush and make a path through which they walked. This is when she revealed her name as Awon. She bidden farewell to Ohoro and his chiefs, that they will no longer see her, but she will hand over a charm to establish a strong settlement. When this was realized, they rename the settlement after Hera's Shao- Awon. She urged the people of shao that a day should be set aside every year to mark her presence among the people and to ensure that all marriageable girls are given in marriage. The mysterious woman pledged to bless all descendants of Shao along with the stranger that comes forward to put their request to herany time and especially during the annual mass wedding festival. Any other problems like unsuccessful, bareness and other similar problems can be channeled to Awon through her priest for solution. After her speech, she fell down and vanished into the air. She was followed by waves immediately. It was at this spot that water began to gush out and started flow as a stream and it is called 'Awon river '. The spot where she fell down and from where the water started to gush Is known as 'AWON YALE'.

Social Importance
Awon Festival is also a time of reconnection and where the culture heritage of the ancient Shao is being showed to the world.