Touring Ethiopia

In my opinion, if there are two words that can better explain the people of Ethiopia are “diversity” and “harmony”. This is obvious for one who has got the chance to visit the country north to south and east to west.

One can see people with different psychological makeup, lifestyles, following different religions, languages falling into semitic, cushitic, omotic and nilo-saharan groups.

There are more than 80 ethnic groups, 200 different dialects and many others which make the country a mosaic collection all mixed in a harmonious fashion.

Ethiopian “People’s Day” Festival
Dec. 9th was a special day for all Ethiopians; a day in which people representing each ethnic group in the country gathered in Awassa to celebrate an annual event ‘The People’s Day’. The day was celebrated not only in the country but in all Ethiopian embassies in different countries of the world.

Various cultural shows, photographic exhibitions and a day long musical concert were performed by each ethnic group.

There were also trade fairs and bazaars where indigenous products such as coffee, cultural ornaments etc. were displayed.

Besides celebrating our diversity, the event has brought about cultural exchanges among the various people groups. It was also a big moment to promote Ethiopia’s cultural and traditional heritage to the outside world.

To this effect, ambassadors of over 103 countries to Ethiopia were invited to attend the celebration and invitations were extended to many countries’ foreign representatives.

Awassa, The Host City
Located 273 km south of Addis Ababa, enjoying a moderate climate, Awassa was the perfect place to host this great event. Awasa is the capital of Southern Ethiopia in which 56 of the 80 ethnic groups including the popular Omo valley tribes like Hamer, Surma, and Mursi live. The region also houses important tourism spots like wildlife parks, lodges, big lakes and a number of recreation centers.

Ethiopian Cultural Costumes
An interesting part of the event is seeing the different ethnic and tribal groups each wearing its traditional costumes. The christian highland people wearing white cotton cloth whist the muslims of Harar, by contrast wearing very colorful dress, the men in shorts and the women in fine dresses of red, purple and black.

The lowland Somali and Afar were wearing long brightly colored cotton wraps. The Oromo horsemen were seen in their bead-decorated leather garments attiring themselves in lions’ manes or baboon-skin head-dresses also carrying spears and hippo-hide shields.

The Dorze and Wolaita were also great in their typical colorful woven clothes whilst the lower Omo tribes, almost naked, were decorated in a white bark belt and leather strap.

They were ornamented with notches, a short skin garment, and painted their bodies with artful designs adorned with jewelries made of bone and all sorts of metals.

Ethiopian Hair Styles and Jewelries
An apparent identification of these different groups is in their fanciful jewelry, hair styles and the embroidery of their clothes. The women of amhara and tigray were dressed with dozens of plaits (shuruba) tightly braided to the head and billowing out at the shoulders.

The Tigray women dressed their hair with a multitude of tiny plaits anchored to the scalp and bushing out on to the shoulders. They were also ornamented with earrings and three separate medallions of a necklace made from pure Ethiopian gold.

The lower omo tribes like Hamer, Geleb, Bume, and Karo men formed a ridge of plaited hair and clay to hold their feathered headgear in place.

The stylish Geleb people had shaved off their head except for their topknot covered with mud, a Colobus hair cap and ostrich feather.

The women of Harar parted their hair in the middle and had made a bun behind each ear. The Arusi women had fringes and short bobbing hair style whilst the Bale girls had the same but were covered with a black head-cloth.

Ethiopian Traditional Songs, Dances, and Musical Instruments
Traditional music was the other exciting part of the festival which every ethnic group was performing its own distinct music. From the popular Iskista (juddering the shoulders ‘up and down’ and ‘to and fro’) to the jumping and leaping up and down of omo tribes, all sorts of cultural music was played by each ethnic group.

Traditional musical instruments were also widespread including the massinko - a one stringed violin played with a bow and the kirar - a six stringed lyre played with the fingers or plectrum.

Also to be heard was the washint - a simple flute, the kebero - a drum played with the hands and the atamo - a long flute played by tapping with the fingers or palm.

The celebration was amazing. It has left every one with a great excitement exhibiting the Ethiopia’s diverse people and culture - all at the same time and in the same place.

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Ethiopia is a country where one can find an amazing contrast of cultures, traditions and religions among a multi ethnic people.

The country, amidst its beauty, possesses colorful festivals and public events which are much loved by visitors. Many tourists prefer to book their Ethiopian holidays during the festive seasons when most celebrations take place.

Therefore I wanted to write a few things on the more colorful celebrations, on when, how, and why are they celebrated by Ethiopians.

The Ethiopian New Year - Sept 11th
Following the Julian calendar, Ethiopia is seven and half years behind the western calendar and its new year falls in the month of September.

Once the rainy season has ended, the sun comes out to shine all day long, creating an atmosphere of dazzling clarity and fresh clean air. The highlands turn green and gold as the Meskel daisies burst out in their entire splendor.

On 11th September early morning, the new-year is announced by little girls singing the song Abeba-ye-hosh (meaning do you see the blooming flowers?) in their respective villages whilst the boys give paints to each household as their new year wishes. Adults are expected to respond by rewarding gifts to the children.

This is the most special and important day, in which Ethiopians start the year with a new spirit, freshness, excitement and good expectations.

Meskel - The Finding of the True Cross - Sept 28th
Meskel (the finding of the true cross) falls on 28th September each year and has been celebrated in Ethiopia for over 1,600 years. The word Meskel means “Cross” and the feast commemorates the discovery of the cross (upon which Jesus was crucified).

As the legend tells, it was found on 19 March, AD 326, by Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine The Great.

The festival coincides with the mass blooming of the golden yellow ‘Meskel daisies’, a flower called ‘Adey-Abeba’ in the Amharic language.

A large bonfire is lit in Meskel Square and this is repeated all over the country in churches and small neighborhood groups.

Bonfires are built topped by a cross to which flowers most commonly the Meskel daisy are tied. Priests don their full regalia and people of all ages are seen in the streets carrying fresh bunches of yellow flowers.

After the bonfires are blessed, they are lit and the dancing and singing begins around them. The feasting and the celebrations continue the night and well into the next day.

If you wish to be part of this great celebration the best places that I recommend are Addis Ababa, Gonder, and Axum.

The Great Run - Nov 18th
It is not a religious holiday but a big running event among the biggest and first of its kind in Africa, held in the month of November every year.

This event was pioneered by Haile G. Sillassie, the greatest long distance runner in the world and most famous for his numerous athletic records. People of all ages numbering 25,000 or more participate in this great international event, counting it as a great joy and privilege to run with world class athletes.

Besides the joy of running, people have a lot of fun in this event. One can see people with different skills showing their abilities, telling jokes, singing songs and all manner of funny things. The other nice thing about this event is that everyone receives a medal for his/her participation, but to do so, they have to finish the race.

Genna - Ethiopian Christmas - Jan 8th
The birth of Christ also known as Genna in amaharic, is a colorful festival celebrated by all Christian people in the country. Especially at Lalibela, there is a spectacular view of priests surrounding the church and donning their colorful priestly robes praising and celebrating the birth of Christ.

At Lalibela a vivid colorful ceremony accompanied by dances and the hymns of the priests take place and unfolds before your eyes.

Traditional hockey games, horse racing and feasts of tej, tella, and doro-wot (Ethiopian traditional beers and meats) make the day more colorful.

Timket - Ethiopian Epiphany- Christ’s Baptism - Jan 20th
Timket in remembrance of Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist is the greatest festival of the year falling on the month of January two weeks after the Ethiopians Christmas.

Hundreds of thousands of people gather at Janmeda (the largest square in Addis) for singing, dancing and to receive a blessing from the patriarch. The Church tabots (so called replicas of the Arc of the Covenant) are taken to a nearby body of water on the afternoon of the eve of the festival.

Dramatic and colorful processions happen during the night; ringing of bells and bowling of trumpets and swinging bronze censors all mixed together make the day most colorful. The tabots rest in their special tents in the meadow each hoisting a proud banner depicting the church’s saint.

The following morning, the crowds gather around the blessed water to have it splashed upon them. By this act the people are renewing their commitment to the faith. Then the tabots are paraded back to their churches accompanied by much singing and dancing.

Timket is held at Gonder in the bathing palace of emperor Fasiledas.

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Ethiopia is about to celebrate her huge occasion beginning 12th September 2007, the day her new year begins. This coming one will not be celebrated like any other, neither will it only be a new year.

It will be a new millennium, the beginning of her 2000

Distinctly different from the rest of the world, Ethiopia follows its own calendar which is based on the Julian system which is roughly seven and half years behind the western Gregorian calendar.

This time occurrence will make Ethiopians look back to the ancient times of the country’s history, the beginning of the first millennium AD at which time much of its history began.

There we find Aksum, an ancient kingdom which was counted among one of the most powerful kingdoms of the world.

Aksum is thought to have owed its importance to its position. It was a rich and well organized society, technically and artistically advanced with its own government.

It was an era of an unparalleled coinage in bronze, silver and gold with extraordinary monuments being built.

Ethiopia, is one of the best-kept secrets of the world and wants to share this great and golden history of hers with the rest of the world on the occasion of her millennium, making it Africa’s first continental celebration.

There are huge preparations underway to celebrate this moment of history that Ethiopia brings forth its hospitality and rolls out its red carpet to her guests.

There will be many kinds of festivals that will add color to the year long celebrations, showcasing the peoples traditions, cultures, history, and hope for a better future.

Of course one may come to visit at anytime to see the famous ancient architectures, the wonderful history, the spectacular countryside, or the friendly people, but one will always leave with a hankering return. I have seen many people already surrender to it many times and I know they’ll be back for more.

But what makes this time special?

The country is expecting to have a series of year long festivities and celebrations featuring its diverse and amazing beauties. And it seems that the country is determined to invite its guests to be part of this “once in lifetime moment”.

Ethiopia has an indefinable atmosphere that begs deeper examination. The people, history, culture, scenery or where ever you turn in the country there is something you feel that runs deep. You will find yourself discovering something new and fascinating each time you visit Ethiopia.

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Visitors never cease to wonder at seeing things in Ethiopia that are unusual. Among the varied food and dishes served are many notable for their uniqueness and delicacy, tempting anyone whether hungry or not.

Of course travellers can find a wide selection of restaurants catering for Indian and Chinese to European or American cuisine. But Ethiopia has a cuisine and a style of presentation that make it unique and endemic, much like its wildlife.

You would almost never leave someone’s house without eating, whether you are a guest or not. Before eating the hands are washed with water caught in a special bowl and poured over the hands of each person.

Also while eating you will find ‘gursha’ given as a mark of great friendship; usually given at least twice. It is a tradition usually carried out by the host who picks a morsel of the food and feeds you directly by putting it into your mouth.

Injera the national bread

This is a staple food that serves as the base of every meal. It is served in a mesob (a basket made of straw), spread out like a large thin pancake; with different kinds of wot (sauces) put on top of it. Don’t mistake this for a table cloth like an American tourist once did.

You will be passionate for Doro-wot, considered to be the most sophisticated and almost the national dish of Ethiopia.

Tasty chicken usually cut into 12 pieces and accompanied by hard-boiled eggs is served in a hot sauce of butter, onion, chili, cardamom and berbere (hot powder red-paper).

If you ask any Ethiopian which food they particularly love the most, you will undoubtedly hear he or she reply - ‘Doro-wot’. It has an exotic and delicious taste and an aroma that stimulates the appetite.

Also ‘Tre-siga’ a raw meat served with various spicy sauces and ‘Kitfo’ a minced beef or lamb served raw or warmed (lebleb) in butter rosemary and berbere are popular and much loved foods among many Ethiopians. You may also find yourself addicted to them like many a native Ethiopian.

Shiro-wot, a chickpea or bean puree lightly spiced and accompanied by vegetables is served especially on fasting days. It might be one of your preferences especially if you are a vegetarian.

There are also tasty local made beverages from a local shrub known as gesho and Tella and Tej (honey wine) served in beautiful flasks. You might also like to try Arake a grain spirit which has a pretty powerful kick.

If you really want to treat yourself with an exotic experience of Ethiopia, you should not miss the coffee ceremony. Ethiopians are rightly proud of their coffee, since Ethiopia is the original home of coffee.

High quality coffee is still produced today, noted for its flavor and often blended with other fine coffees from around the world.

For the visitor a real and exotic experience will be to take part in this traditional coffee ceremony accompanied by freshly cut grass scattered on the ground, burning incense and coffee beans roasting in a pan.

As the smoke rises you’ll be offered the delicious aroma, to draw toward you and inhale.

The beans are then ground with a pestle and mortar and brewed with water in a pan. When it is finally ready, the coffee is served in tiny cups in three turns served with ‘Buna-kurse’ a small snack, usually popcorn is the other part of what is a beautiful ceremony.

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