So many countries around the world celebrate the New Year's Day because they adapt the Gregorian Calender as their de facto Calender. The Gregorian Calender is the reform of the Julian Calender which is shifted 13 days compared to the Gregorian's. But the Amazigh New Year 's Day corresponds to the first day of January of the Julian Calender. Thus, Imazighn celebrate Yennayer on the 12th of January. The Gregorian New Year's Day marked the feast of the Naming and Circumcision of Jesus, whereas, the Amazigh New Year's Day has nothing to do with religion. It is crucially linked to agriculture. Imazighn use their Calender to regulate the seasonal agricultural works. It is also said that the roots of the Amazigh New Years Day is linked to the day Shishonq (an Amazigh King) defeated Ramses Ⅲ and took his crown in 950 BCA. Since then, Imazighn started celebrating their New Year "Yennayer". Others say that Imazighn celebrate this day because they faced years of starvation, the reason why all North African countries share many rites in common including the invitation of one's friends, relatives or even strangers to lunch or dinner or at least to drink a cup of tea. Concerning Yennayer's Night, in Assammr (south-east of Morocco) people celebrate the Amazigh New Year's night with a dish of couscous containing 7 vegetables including almond, alfalfa, figs, beans, and one stone of dates. Anyone who finds the stone is imposed to hold the keys of the food store during the whole year. It is believed within Imazighn that celebrating Yennayer would be blessed with a prosperous and fruitful year.
This year, Imazighn will celebrate their 2967th New Year's Day which corresponds to 2017 ACA.
