Festivales

 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.