Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)
January 7
Genna is Ethiopian Christmas, and coincides with other Orthodox Christmas celebrations around the world. The feast marks the end of the 40-day fasting period of Advent. On Christmas Eve, the faithful participate in church services through the night before celebrating with family and friends on Christmas day.
Lalibela is the most popular place to celebrate Genna, as thousands of pilgrims flock to the holy city for this celebration.
The Ethiopian celebration of Timket (also known as Epiphany), is a symbolic re-enactment of the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. For Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, it serves as a renewal of their baptismal vow.
Timket is a two-day festival, starting the day before, when the church tabot (replica of the Ark of the Covenant) is taken from the church to a nearby location, usually near a body of water. This is representative of Jesus coming to the River Jordan. The tabot spends the night in this location while the priests and other faithful hold a vigil through the night. In the morning the water is blessed and is then sprinkled on the gatherers (or they may chose to bathe in the water), renewing their baptismal vows. Long parades then carry the tabot back home to the church while the revellers sing and dance.
Gondar is a popular place to witness Timket, as the Bath of Fasilidas provides a stunning backdrop for the festivities. Lalibela is another popular location, as is Addis Ababa, where it is held at the Jan Meda fairgrounds.
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year)
September 11
Enkutatash, which means “Gift of Jewels” is the celebration of the Ethiopian New Year. Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar, which consists of 13 months – 12 months each with 30 days and a final month with 5 days (6 days in leap year). The Julian calendar is 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian calendar, which is used throughout most of the Western world. In 2007 (Gregorian calendar), Ethiopia rang in the year 2000 and the new Ethiopian Millennium with colorful celebrations throughout the country.
Enkutatash happens to come near the end of a long rainy season, coloring the green landscapes with bright yellow flowers (called the Meskel Flower, or adei abeba in Amharic) and giving great reason to celebrate the new harvest. Torches of dry wood are burned in front of houses on New Year’s Eve. On New Year’s Day, girls dressed in new clothes go door-to-door singing songs. Families and friends celebrate together with large feasts.
This day also happens to coincide with the saint’s day of St. John the Baptist. This religious ceremony can be seen at the Kostete Yohannes church in the village of Gaynt, where celebrations are carried out for three days. Just outside of Addis Ababa, on the Entoto Mountain, Raguel Church has the largest religious celebration in the country.
September 27
Meskel (Finding of the True Cross), is the celebration of the finding of remnants of the actual cross on which Jesus was crucified. The word “meskel” means “cross” in Amharic. According to Christian tradition, St. Eleni (Empress Helena) discovered the hiding place of three crosses used at the crucifixion of Jesus. In her dream, Eleni was told she should make a bonfire; the direction of the smoke would tell her the exact location of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. She followed the directions from her dream, and the smoke landed exactly where the cross was buried.
Meskel celebrations begin the night before with large bonfires topped with a cross and decorated with meskel flowers. The bonfire preparations are blessed and burned while revelers sing and dance around the fire, locally calleddemera. It is believed that the direction of the smoke will predict the future for the year to come. After the demerahas burnt out, the faithful mark crosses on their foreheads with the ash.
The biggest Meskel celebration is in Addis Ababa, held in the centrally-located Meskel Square. Gondar, Axum and Lalibela are also good locations to celebrate this festival. Probably the most exuberant celebrations take place in the region of the Gurage people, southwest from Addis.
The best time to travel: This depends on the region you are travelling to. In the main parts of the country, in particular the highlands, the main rainy season runs from June to the end of September, with a short rain period in March. In the Omo- Valley in Southern Ethiopia however, the seasons are different with the main rains from March to June and shorter rains in November.
Irecha ritual
Irecha means Thanksgiving Day to the ‘Waqa’ or God. It is one of the prominent Oromo people vital cultures celebrated every year in September on last Sunday following the True Cross finding Festival.
This historic holiday is celebrated at lake Hora ,Bishoftu, attended by millions of pilgrims and other visitors every year.
The special event of Thanksgiving is celebrated by community leaders and Abba Gadas address thanks to ‘Waqa’ for the blessed transition from the rainy season that well thought as as dark to the bright and colourful season and with different activities including “ Hamichiisa”, hugging, blessing & naming of children by Aba Muda, Oromo new year celebration “Gubaa” with a bonfire (Demera), and other activites.
The festival has a historical importance coincide with cultural and moral values (Waqeeffata). Thus, Oromos of all religion take part in the festival as ‘Waqa’ embraces people of different religions and beliefs and its core principles have no contradiction with the “Ten Commandments”.
Chembelala
The Sidama are people of the southern Ethiopia ethnic groups who live in Sidama zone, Southern nation, nationalities and people Region (SNNPR). The ever green area is glowing known for its high quality ‘Coffee of Yirgachife’, in which it served in international cafes such as star bucks.
The Sidamas have preserved their cultural heritages including their religion for centuries. The ‘festival of Chembelala’, New Year celebrations is also one of the traditions best preserved for over a period.
New Year is a source of pride; the language is a sore spot, Chembelala is celebrated.
