Ethiopian New Year’s a huge party
THE Ethiopian calendar has 13 months and it is seven or eight years behind the calendar that the rest of the world uses – so it is currently 2010 in Ethiopia. The 13th month has only five days, or six in a leap year.
The country entered the new millennium 10 years ago, which the rest of the world celebrated 17 years ago. This means that it was observed in Ethiopia more than seven years after the rest of the world.
The celebration of the millennium was one of the hottest events in the history of the nation. All the nations, nationalities and peoples of the country were able to reaffirm their commitment to living together harmoniously, in peace.
They were also able to reverberate their voices in the world, signifying Africa’s ownership of such cultural values.
Beyond enjoying a mere change of year, the event had its own impact on the overall economic, social and political journey of the nation.
More than anything, the role it played in motivating the people for better endeavours in development could be mentioned as significant. As the late former prime minister Meles Zenawi – a vibrant proponent of the celebration – said, the new millennium should be a time for Ethiopia’s Renaissance, as poverty and backwardness is not a curse.
Ethiopia used to be one of the biggest ancient civilizations of the world, centuries back. Its empire expanded over vast swathes of land, used currencies that resembled the modern ones, as well as exercised its own architecture and literature.
Due to several reasons, however, its civilisations went on declining for almost 1 000 years until the country suffered from poverty, war and subsequent humiliation. One of the setbacks the people suffered was the loss of hope and a poor mentality in envisioning a bright future for the country. As a result, many people chose to leave the nation and seek refuge abroad.
It is easy to imagine the strong determination required to radically change the mindset to restore the old reputation of the country.
The events of the millennium festivities should be appreciated for the effective motivation they instilled in the minds of the people. They ushered in the launch of Ethiopia’s journey on the path of the Renaissance. However, while many people were highly inspired by the initiatives of the millennium, it is undeniable that many others were also sceptical and pessimistic about their effectiveness.
The fact that Ethiopia has shown tremendous changes during the past 10 years is undeniable.
Although some people may contest the direct correlation of the motivations created by the millennium events and the country’s remarkable achievements, it is crystal-clear that it has effectively progressed with the plan it set during the millennium. It is worthwhile to further uphold the golden achievements of the Renaissance movement of the last decade.
While lauding its achievements, we should also give due attention to factors that are likely to reverse our developmental progress. It is undeniable that corruption will upset this. Moreover, corruption will hamper the achievements in democracy and governance.
Along with commending the achievements of the last decade, all citizens should strive more than ever to correct weaknesses observed in the past, so as to enable us to leap forward in the next decade.
Especially, everyone should stand by the side of government in its efforts to eliminate corruption and the greedy mentality prevailing in the country. The government’s recent actions should also be viewed in light of the need to seriously stand against all of the shortcomings that could derail our journey of the Renaissance.
People should also raise their spirits to further uphold the ongoing efforts towards building democratic systems and ensuring justice, as well as good governance. They need to intensify their participation in the political activities of the country, as their passivity would render the system futile. They should also give due attention to exploit all available economic opportunities in the country and try to discourage the dangerous illegal migration of Ethiopia’s workforce.
It is especially religious fathers, community leaders, the government and parents need to work strenuously to discourage the alarming spread of addiction to alcohol, khat and related substances, which weaken the work ethics of the youth and negatively affect the country’s economy.
While we wish for a happy and prosperous New Year, we would like to express our deepest conviction that if we all forge ahead with the current level of advancement, the next decade will be Ethiopia’s time of ascension.
For many people, the way the year begins matters a lot. Beginning it positively entails a lucky or favourite time ahead, while beginning it with bad moments also might be unfortunate. They do whatever they can to have a good start of the year and have a pleasant holiday.
Apart from making an auspicious start, what makes new year special is that it is not only the beginning of new year, but it ushers in many memorable occasions in the lives of people.
First and foremost, the new year is when people say farewell to a harsh cold season and receive a bright new one, with those blossoming yellow flowers called Daisies of Meskel (Adey Ababa). The favourite weather conditions experienced during spring, when the year begins, also usher in a bright season ahead. As a result, the time around the celebration of the new year is perceived as a hopeful one.
It is also the beginning of the school term in Ethiopia. From elementary schools to colleges, students turn their faces away from two months of vacation and towards their new classes at school. This signals a step forward. The new year is thus taken as a turning point in people’s lives.
The day is celebrated by followers of all religious and ethnic backgrounds in Ethiopia, but those of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church observe another religious holiday, the feast of St John the Baptist. They commemorate this with additional commitment and faith.
The new calendar, the new bright season and the new academic year make the day a unique moment in Ethiopia. Unlike other religious holidays celebrated in the country, New Year’s Day brings together followers of all religions, nations, nationalities and peoples.
Hence people add colour and warmth to it by renovating houses, buying new clothes and organising festivities, among other activities. This makes it one of the busiest seasons for commercial enterprise in the country.
People buy things that are intended not only for celebrating the holiday, but also to fulfil the requirements of educational materials for students, according to Elshaday Taddese of Eyoha Addis Entertainment and Event Co-ordination, which arranged the ongoing New Year’s Bazaar at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Centre, one of the biggest trade fairs in the country.
He says he has been participating locally in such international-level bazaars for the past five years. What makes the New Year bazaar unique is what the suppliers exhibit and what the buyers demand, as all items are special in the new year.
Very worthwhile as it is, the new year is also a costly event for households in Ethiopia. Holiday shopping becomes a fascinating issue, as the new year approaches.
One of the reasons people dare to spend as much money during this time is that they celebrate the day with a great deal of food and beverages that are prepared and served in the traditional fashion.
For example, the most traditional elements in the holiday recipe of Ethiopian households include traditional cuisine, such as doro wat and qey wat, among others. To prepare such food, many households prefer to purchase live sheep or chickens and slaughter them at home, processing the meat there.
Since the live animals that people require for their celebrations are exchanged at outdoor or open-air markets, the large gatherings of people there create a very unusual and impressive atmosphere.
The typical traditional beverages on common Ethiopian holidays are tella (homemade beer), tej (homemade honey beer or mead) and, among Muslims and other religious followers, households in which alcohol is forbidden also brew similar alcohol-free drinks and spirits.
A big, traditional circular bread, which is blessed before being cut into enough small pieces to feed the neighbours and family members, counted first by the oldest male family member and served during the coffee ceremony, is also an integral component of all holidays and is used to express blessings and sacrament welcoming in the new year.
All these preparations and their processes need both a lot of time and money. For example, the brewing of drinks, made traditionally, needs at least three weeks of hard work, while the rest needs about a week. The process of shopping also forges an unforgettable memory in the minds of those who set out to the typical marketplaces of urban areas across the nation.
As mentioned earlier, the new year is a unique event, in that it is indiscriminate, as it involves people of all religions and is an important juncture in the seasonal transition, as well as the academic year. Hence, almost everyone is out at the market to shop.
The markets also sell almost everything during New Year’s Eve. Those who need an item for the holiday – either food, clothes or a gift – will be purchasing a major one. In addition, families also take the opportunity to purchase school stationery materials for their children, who have to start their studies immediately after welcoming in the new year.
Despite the time and financial implications, New Year’s Day remains a memorable annual event throughout the country.
Altamo is the councillor of the Embassy of Ethiopia in Pretoria.