1) Ethiopian Christmas
No, we’re not talking about December 25. Ethiopians, with
their own unique calendar system, celebrate Christmas a couple of weeks later
than the rest of the world.
And no, there are no Christmas trees and Santa Clause
involved. Actually, due to Western influence, it’s starting to be a bit more
common.
But traditionally this
day is celebrated with your family with no gifts exchanged. Instead, special
holiday foods like Doro Wat (spicy chicken dish) are served beside Tej
(homemade honey wine) and Tella (homemade beer).
Date:
January 7, 2022
2) Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany)
This is one of the largest and most important Orthodox
religious ceremonies of the year. In Addis Ababa, the biggest gathering occurs
near, Arat Kilo,
with almost half a million attendees. But
similar celebrations occur all throughout the city and country.
The holiday celebrates Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan River. Part of the ceremony
includes being sprayed with holy water that priests have blessed.
It’s a holiday not celebrated
in your house, but together with your community. Roads will be blocked to make
room for elaborate parades, led by priests, but joined in by everyone on their
way to visit the church.
And of course, since it’s a day you’ll bump into a lot of people
you know, you’ll want to look your best. Impress your Ethiopian friend
by saying, Le Timkat Yalhone Kemees Yibatates. That roughly translates to wear your best
clothes on Timkat.
Date:
January 19, 2022
3) Ethiopian Easter
Ethiopian Easter is sometimes celebrated on the same day
as Easter around the world. Other years, it falls almost a week or two
afterward.
While this is also another important religious ceremony,
most Ethiopians have one thing, and one thing only on their mind. Meat!
The weeks leading up to Easter (commonly referred to as
Lent) are when the Orthodox Christians are fasting. This means they fast until
almost 3 pm every day. Additionally, they eat only vegan food! With the
exception of fish and honey which they consider as acceptable, most Ethiopians
are ready to enjoy some Doro Wat and other meat dishes as soon as it’s midnight!
Sticking to tradition,
this holiday is not celebrated with the Easter Bunny or Easter egg hunts, but
at church and with your family.
Date:
April 24, 2022
4) Ashenda
This is a northern holiday that takes place mostly only
in the Amhara and Tigray regions. It marks the end of fasting for the Virgin
Mary.
It’s a
fun holiday to enjoy, mostly because it’s celebrated openly on the streets.
Girls will wear traditional bright green or orange dresses and beat drums while
singing and dancing down the streets. The men also join in and it’s a fun and
colorful festival.
Locals won’t care what
you’re wearing, but they will definitely be impressed if you can borrow some
traditional clothes or get your hair done in a specific way to match them!
Date: Between August 16-26
depending on what town you visit
5)
Ethiopian New Year’s
Ethiopian New Year is not even close to the rest of the
world’s New Years’s. Not just because it
occurs in September, but also because it is almost 7 1/2 years behind the
world!
That’s right. Right now, it’s year
2012. This fall, we’ll celebrate 2013.
The
Ethiopian calendar is solar-based and derived from the Egyptian calendar.
Instead of following the Gregorian calendar like the rest of the world,
Ethiopia is on the Julian calendar.
To be
fair, Ethiopia isn’t the only country with a
unique calendar. There are actually a handful of other countries around the
world that also have their own. This includes Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea,
Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Japan, Nepal, China, and Taiwan.
In Ethiopia, the
calendar is strictly observed with the majority of the population unaware of
the month and date that the rest of the world uses. Although companies like
ours who serve international guests use both.
Date: September 11, 2020
6) Meskel
Meskel is a massively huge holiday in Ethiopia. The word,
Meskel, literally means cross in
Ethiopia’s ancient language of Ge’ez (the equivalent of Latin for English
speakers).
It signifies the finding of the true cross of Jesus. The
legend says that Queen Eleni had a dream that she should light a fire and the
smoke would show her where the cross was buried. She ordered Jerusalem to build
a big fire and after adding Frankincense to it the smoke rose up and then
landed exactly where the cross was found.
In remembrance, large
bonfires are lit every night on Meskel. The biggest celebration happens on
Meskel Square in which thousands of people in Addis Ababa come together. Join
in on the action. Or watch from across the street at the new Hyatt Regency hotel.
Date:
September 27, 2022.
7)
The Great Ethiopian Run
This isn’t a holiday, but it should be. The Great Ethiopian Run is
the largest race in Africa. And we’re tempted to say possibly in the world.
Started by Ethiopia’s most famous Olympic athlete, Haile Gebrselassie, it has
become one of the most fun days in the whole country.
Every year, locals and travelers alike, pick up their
matching race day t-shirt, and walk and run this 10k. Approximately
35,000-40,000 people participate each year.
If you show up early, you can watch athletes take off and
do a serious run. But most everyone else does it more for fun. You can
certainly run it entirely. But you won’t be out of place if you want to walk it
or stop for coffee at a cafe along the way.
The best part of the race is seeing everyone wear the
matching shirt. It makes for some great photo ops.
Date: November 26, 2022
