(ማስታወቂያ)
Ney year holidays always bring hope and joy to people as they mark the beginning of a new chapter in everyone’s lives. Everyone makes a promise to themselves and their loved ones to achieve some valuable goal on that new chapter. Apart from being celebrated by everyone, I believe this is what makes new year’s holiday so special in the whole world. There is no holiday that is celebrated with the same excitement by everywhere on earth. Although the feeling towards this holiday is mutual, it is celebrated very differently across the world by different cultures; For thousands of years, civilizations around the world have celebrated the start of a new year. Most countries currently begin New Year's celebrations on December 31, but some observe it at various times. But, even when the date is the same, the customs are frequently different. The Ethiopian New Year’s holiday is celebrated on a completely different date than the rest of the world. This is because the Ethiopian calendar differs from the rest of the world, and it is behind by roughly seven years.
Yes, we are currently 2 months away from finishing 2015, the rest of the world is on July 2023. Let me explain this to you. . . The Ethiopian calendar is composed of 13 months. 12 of which are 30 days sharp, except for the last (13th) month which is only 5 days long, 6 if it’s a leap year. On the Gregorian calendar the Ethiopian New Year is on September 11th on normal years, and on the 12th if it’s a leap year. If you want to learn more about the Ethiopian calendar, you should read my other article titled “Ethiopian Calendar: Why is it behind and How does it work?”, I have tried to cover everything in detail there. Now, let’s get back to discussing the Ethiopian holiday. . .
The Ethiopian New Year’s Day is known as Enkutatash (እንቁጣጣሽ). Enkutatash is celebrated marking the date Queen Sheba (Nigist Makda) returned from visiting King Solomon in 980 BC. Her people and attendants welcomed her with plenty of Jewelry as gift. One of the alternative translations for the word Jewelry in Amharic language is እንቁ (Enku), hence the name “Enkutatash”. Enkutatash is celebrated at the start of the spring season in Ethiopia; hence the country is green and beautiful, and a special type of flowery plant called Adey Abeba grows everywhere.
The Adey Abeba flower is indigenous to Ethiopia and blossoms in September during the start of the Ethiopian New Year. The yellow Adey Adeba flower is a symbol of peace, harmony, and love in Ethiopia. The blossom itself represents the new beginnings, hope, and choices.
To celebrate the Ethiopian new year, we have the traditional fireworks and cannon firing at midnight to mark the start of the New Year, as do most other countries throughout the world. However, the Ethiopian New Year celebration has its own distinct traditions, one of which is a group of young girls singing "Abebayehosh" from house to house.
Abebayehosh (አበባየሆሽ) is an Ethiopian New Year’s song, sung by a group of girls at dawn of the New Year’s Day. The girls go around houses in their neighborhood carrying Adey Abeba, a few green grasses, and a drum to accompany their singing. While one girl from the group leads them by saying the Abebayehosh lyric, the rest respond to her by chanting “Lemlem”. People show their appreciation for the girls by giving them Ethiopian bread called Dfo Dabo (ድፎ ዳቦ) and money. Another uninque New Year's Day custom in Ethiopia is for young boys to visit residences in their area and relatives' homes, handing them drawings of Adey Abeba with captions of good wishes.
The lads, like the girls who sang Abebayehosh, would be given tokens of appreciation. The girls and the boys will return to their homes for breakfast. People that have gone to their respective religious places to thank their God for the new year will also return home. Breakfast is eaten after the elder of the family says his blessing while everyone stands around the served breakfast receiving the blessing. The Ethiopian holiday meals are so delicious and are served extravagantly. Everyone eats from the same large plate, and Ethiopian moms keep bringing more food, it is almost like they refuse to let us see the plate on which we are eating. The mom and the girls will be serving everyone at the table, so everyone gives them Gursha every chance they get. Gursha is a cultural practice in Ethiopia and Eritrea that involves feeding another person by hand. It is a gesture of hospitality and friendship, and is often done during social gatherings and meals.
Traditionally, the person offering the Gursha will take a small piece of food, such as injera (a type of Ethiopian flatbread), and use it to scoop up a bite of food, such as a stew or vegetable dish. They will then offer the food to the other person, who will eat it from their hand as a sign of trust and intimacy. Gursha is seen as a way of strengthening bonds between people and promoting a sense of community. The foods served on Ethiopian holidays are usually known, but almost every holiday has Doro wot. After eating breakfast, the traditional coffee ceremony follows. Until lunchtime, everyone enjoys their holiday with their family. When lunch time approaches it is time to either welcome your relatives or go to their house to celebrate the holiday. It is customary to take beverages, and sheep when going to visit relatives. In conclusion, Ethiopian New Year is a time for reflection, renewal, and celebration. Whether marking the end of the rainy season, the beginning of a new year, or both, this holiday is a vital part of Ethiopian culture and identity. As Ethiopia continues to navigate the complex challenges of the modern world, it is clear that the traditions and customs associated with Ethiopian New Year will remain an important touchstone for the country's past, present, and future.
Related articles - Ethiopian Holidays Discussed In Chronological Order - Meskel Holiday - Celebrating the Finding of the True Cross - Timket Holiday: The Cheerful and Beautiful Ethiopian Epiphany
