ENQTATASH-(Ethiopian New Year celebration)

This festival is celebrated by all Ethiopians. To herald the New Year, boys offer flower paints to their neighbors and relatives while girls express their whishes for the New Year by going to each family in the neighborhood singing and offering twigs as a mark of good wish for the new year. This is a spectacular event to see for anyone who is a guest in Ethiopia. It is celebrated on the 1st  day, 1st month of Ethiopia (Meskerem) September 11th .

MESKEL

This festival is to commemorate the finding of the true cross. It is colorful at TIMIKET. Here there is no Tabot (repilica of The Arc Of The Covenant) but the priests sing religious hymens and chants. Their colorful robs and the bonfire made in connection of the celebration, all the people in their traditional cloths make this festival unique. It is celebrated every year on September 27th. The festival is more color with the golden yellow flowers Meskel daisies, endemic flowers locally known as “Adey Abeba” which bloom once a year and during Meskel.

GENNA (Ethiopian Christmas)

The celebration of Ethiopian charismas is more unique in the rural area than in the cities. In these places, it is celebrated by various activities like horse race by local people and folk dances of authentic type. A match which looks like European hooky.  Typically conducted by Ethiopians  between two youth teams. The game is named after the festival and is called “ yegena chwata”.

This festival is staged every year on January 19th to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ by the hands of John the Baptist at the river Jordan. On this day TABOT (replica of The Arc Of The Covenant) is taken out from the holy of holies in the churches of Ethiopia. And the TABOT are taken to the side of the river or water body for overnight stay, except the TABOT of the Archangel Michael that stays two nights. The TABOTS are accompanied with a great procession while they are taken out and brought back to their respective churches. The unique and exquisite religious chants and jubilation created due to the dances and music are wonderful.