New year -Enkutatash
The Ethiopian New Year falls in
September at the end of the big rains. The sun comes out to shine all day long
creating an atmosphere of dazzling clarity and air. The highland turn to gold
as the Maskal daisies burst out in their entire splendor. Ethiopia children;
clad in brand new clothes and dance through the village giving bouquets of
flowers and painted pictures to each household. September 11 is both New Year’s
day and Feast of St John the Baptist. The day is called Enkutatash meaning the
gift of jewels. When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive
jaunt to visit king Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her back by
replenishing her treasury with enku or jewels. The spring festival has been
celebrated since these early times and as the rains come to their abrupt end
dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside.
After dark on New Year’s Eve people light fires outside their houses. The main
religious celebration takes place at the 14th century Kostete Yohannes church
in the city of Gaynt within the Gondar Region. Three day of payers, pasalms and
hymns, sermons, and massive colorful processions mark the advent of the New
Year. Closer to Addis ababa the Raguel Church, on top of Entoto mountain north
of the city has the largest and spectacular religious celebration. But
Enkutatash is not exclusively a religious celebration and the little girls
singing and dancing in pretty new addresses among the flowers in the fields
convey the message of spring time and renewed life. Today’s Enkutatash is also
the season for exchanging formal New Year greetings cards among urban
sophisticated in lieu of the traditional bouquet of flowers.
Timkat/Feast of Epiphany/
This is the greatest festival of
the year, falling on 19 January/”Tere 11”, just two weeks after the Ethiopian
Christmas. It is actually a three day affair, beginning on the Eve of Timkat
with dramatic and colorful processions. The following morning, the great day
itself, Christ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist is commemorated.
The third day is devoted to the Feast of St.Micheal, the archangel, one of
Ethiopia’s most popular saints.
Since October and the end of the
rains the country has been drying up steadily. The sun blaze down from a clear
blue sky and the Festival of Timkat always takes place in glorious weather. Enormous effort is put into the
occasion. food are brewed, special bread is
baked, and the fat tailed African sheep are fattened for slaughter. Gifts are
prepared for the children and new clothes purchased or old clothes mended and
laundered. Everyone- men , women and children appears resplendent for the three
day celebration. Dressed in the dazzling
white of the traditional dress, the locals provide a zling white of the
traditional dress, the locals provide a dramatic contrast to the jewel colors
of the ceremonial velvets and satins of the priests’ robes and sequined velvet
umbrellas. On the eve of 18 January, Ketera, the priest removes the Tabots from
each church and bless the water of the pool or river where the next day’s
celebration will takes place. It is the Tabot (symbolizing the Ark of the
Covenant containing Ten Commandments) rather than the church building which is
consecrated, and it is accorded extreme reverence. Not to be desecrated by the
gaze of the layman, the engraved wooden
is carried under layers of rich cloth.
In Addis Ababa, many churches
bring their Tabots to JanMeda (the horse racing course of imperial days)
accompanied by priests bearing prayer sticks and sistra the ringing of bells
and blowing of trumpets, and swinging bronze censors from which wisps of
incense smoke escape into the evening air. The tabots rest in their special tents
in the meadow, each hoisting a proud banner depicting the church’s saint in
front.
The priests pray throughout the
long cold night and mass are performed around 2:00 am. Huge crowds of people
camp out eating and drinking by the light of flickering fires and touches. Towards
dawn the patriarch dips a golden cross and extinguishes a burning consecrated
candle in the water. Then he sprinkles water on the assembled congregation in
commemoration of Christ’s baptism. Many of the more fervent leap fully dressed
into the water to renew their vows. Following the baptism the tabots start back
to their respective churches, while feasting, singing and dancing continue at
JanMeda. The procession winds through town again as the horsemen cavort alongside;
their mounts handsomely decorated with red tassels, embroidered saddle cloths,
and silver bridles. The elders march solemnly accompanied by signing, leaping
priests and young men, rites of Old Testament.
