Steiner Ranch Multicultural Festival Each month a Steiner family or group of families share their unique culture and heritage on the Ranch Record. We hope you will join us in this exciting journey, and you will contribute to the festival. To participate, please contact us via email at communications@steinerranchhoa.org
September highlight the galatis-bayleyega family By Huluagersh Bayleyegn We are the Galatis-Bayleyegn family; Hulu, Ermias, Beza, and Athena. We are excited to be part of the Steiner Ranch Multicultural Festival and share our Ethiopian cultural tradition with you. We have lived in Steiner Ranch since 2011. We moved to Austin from California in 1999. We knew the moment we stepped foot in Austin that Steiner Ranch would be where we would raise our children. We instantly fell in love with the beautiful hills and the surrounding natural environment, as well as the community. Seeing many children playing outside in the streets reminded us of where we grew up. Since living here, we have only come to love it even more, forging life-long relationships with our neighbors and making incredible memories. We consider ourselves lucky to have been able to raise our children in such a beautiful, safe, and nurturing neighborhood. Our children were born in Austin, but my husband Ermias and I are originally from Ethiopia. We both moved to the USA over 30 years ago. Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa (Eastern Africa), bordering Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti and the capital city is Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is about one and a half the size of Texas, with a very diverse population of over 110 million, making it the second most populated country in Africa. Its population is so diverse that over 80 languages are spoken and use a unique alphabet and calendar, uniquely distinct from other African nations. Ethiopia served as a symbol of African independence throughout the continent's dark colonial period. It is one of the founding members of the United Nations and the African Union, while boasting as the African base for many international organizations. As one of the first countries in the world to convert to Christianity and a land containing important religious artifacts and manuscripts, Ethiopia has a unique spiritual and cultural heritage. Therefore, it should not be surprising that Ethiopia's major festivals revolve around significant Orthodox Christian dates. After all, the alphabet and the calendar are the contributions of the Church of Ethiopia. As a result, holidays are celebrated on different dates compared to the Western world. The festivals also exude spirituality, color, and excitement, and, of course, delicious large feasts. Continued on Page 14 Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.
Ranch Record - September 2021
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