Tourism
The Month of January in Ethiopia: Ghenna and Timket, Colourful Cultural & Religious Festivities Ghenna (ገና) and Timket (ጥምቀት) are synonymous to Christmas and Epiphany, respectively, in the official working language Amharic with their unique Ethiopian features and calendar. In Ethiopia, both festivities are celebrated during the month of January with their colourful cultural and religious attributes. Ghenna (ገና), an Ethiopian Christmas, is celebrated among Christians throughout the country every year on the 7th of January; but its celebration in the town of Lalibela, one of the UNESCO inscribed world heritage sites, is an epic one. Similarly, the Ethiopian Epiphany (Timket) is also cheerfully celebrated among Christians all over the country every year on the 19th of January. This festivity has been inscribed by UNESCO as one of intangible cultural heritages of the the world on December 11, 2019. The most colourful Timket celebration takes place every year in Gonder city. Beyond the religious importance of Ghenna and Timket festivities, their cultural and touristic value is also significant. Ghenna (ገና) Ethiopia is one of the few ancient civilizations in the world with its own alphabets and calendar. Unlike the Gregorian’s calendar, the Ethiopian calendar is composed of 13 Months of which the 12 months have 30 days each, and the 13th month named Pagume has regularly five days but changes to six days every leap year. Following this calendar, Ethiopia celebrates its own Christmas (Ghenna). It is colourfully celebrated on the 7th of January on Gregorian calendar or on 29th of Tahisas on Ethiopian Calendar. The eve of Christmas is called Gahad and it is marked with fasting mainly among Orthodox Christians. Ghenna is a celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ. Besides, it also has immense social and cultural importance for Ethiopians. Being one of the major tourist attraction events, it is also of important economic value. The best place to experience Ethiopian Christmas is Lalibela, one of Ethiopia’s most famous destinations and home to the incredible 12th century rock-hewn churches. Pilgrims flock to the rock-hewn churches, adorned in white clothes. Attending service in the night in the deep, subterranean passageways of those ancient churches is an experience you cannot ever forget. Ethiopian Christmas in Lalibela is one of the most memorable
experiences anywhere in Africa. Thousands of pilgrims, draped in white cotton garment, gather around the 12th century rock-hewn churches for an evening of celebration and reverence. The festivities are about a communal experience, and a commitment to faith. Christmas celebration in Ethiopia is an experience of religious activities and associated colourful cultural practices that have religious roots. Most people wear a traditional garment made of cotton called Shema. It’s a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly coloured stripes across the ends. On its cultural side, Ethiopian Christmas incorporates a game called ye ghenna chewata in Amharic, (Game of Christmas). It is played during the Christmas season especially in the rural parts of the country and it resembles field hockey. It’s played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball. The Ghenna game is traditionally considered by many Ethiopians to be one of the country’s popular and most ancient outdoor games. Though it is mostly played in the rural parts of Ethiopia, young boys and men can still be observed playing ghenna game in towns and even in the capital, as Christmas season approaches. The conclusion of a ghenna game is followed by high-spirited group singing and dancing called asina ghennaye (Proverb of Genna). Timket (ጥምቀት) On 19th January, twelve days after Ghenna, Ethiopians start the two-day celebration of Timket. The celebration starts on the eve, which is also called ketera, and continues to the day of Timket. It is an Ethiopian Epiphany that celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ. Ethiopian Epiphany is a colourful festival celebrated among Christians all over Ethiopia to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. The commemoration starts on the eve of the main festival on 18th of January each year. The eve is known as Ketera, which involves creating a pool with flowing water to make it ready for the blessing of the celebrants. During Ketera, people escort their parish
Source: Travel to Ethiopia
16
The Ethiopian Messenger
