Kick Out the Yams

It’s been called the "king of crops" but the yam is not nearly as popular or palatable as some of its fellow tubers. It has, however, been the centerpiece for celebrations and festivals since ancient times. The term "yam" (referring to the orange-fleshed Dioscorea species) is often used interchangeably with "sweet potato" by layabouts, slackers and ne’er-do-wells. Technically, the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is the yam’s white-trash cousin. None of that matters, of course, since anyone who goes to a yam festival will tell you they’re not really there for the yams.

Modeled somewhat after traditional celebrations held in Ghana and Nigeria -- but not the one in the Trobriand Islands, where they have a sort of yam-inspired extreme Sadie Hawkins custom (in which women allegedly run around forcing men into sex) -- Philadelphia's own Yam Festival 2003, held this weekend on South Street, is as much about the peripheral entertainment as its namesake root. Musical entertainment, both worldly and hip, will be provided by the likes of Grupo Ire, Monette Sudler, Jojolo Afrobeat and Women's Sekere Ensemble. Also on the docket are the Yancuictonalli dancers, poets Trapeda Mayson and Aziza and more. Additionally, there will be craftsmanship (like glass-blowing, basket-weaving and some severe beading) and martial arts demonstrations.

Still, the party line will tell you that the yam is the reason for the season, so you will be coerced into tasting yam fries, yamburgers, glazed yam, yamomile tea -- we're making these up, but you have to figure they're all possibilities. O'er the yam parts we'll watch chefs struggle to come up with themed cuisine that is also not really weird. That might make you hesitant, but Jamaican Jerk Hut, White Dog, Zanzibar Blue and Govinda's usually know what they're doing. Part of going to a yam festival is trust.

Especially when it comes to the spiritual and medicinal subtext. There will be plenty of people there who claim that the yam has healing properties; herbalists, a Guatemalan Mayan priest and others are scheduled to give talks about how the little orange root is good for what ails you. Don't even try to tell them they're crazy, you're both at a yam festival.

Yam Festival, Sat., Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sun., Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., South Street from Broad to 17th sts., 215-545-0765, www.yamfestival.com.

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