Enkutatash / Addis Amet
"Ethiopian New Year"
Meskerem 1st/September 11th
Melkam Addis Amet = HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Sorry this is a bit delayed-I had some "technical issues" posting this!
While 9/11/2008 was a sad time for us in the USA, it was a time of celebration in Ethiopia. September 11th was New Year in Ethiopia (another history lesson here).
Enkutatash or Ethiopian New Year, is celebrated on September 11th according to the Western or Gregorian calendar. Ethiopia still follows the Orthodox Julian calendar which consists of 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month (Pagume) of five or six days, depending on whether or not it is a leap year. The Ethiopian calendar is seven years and eight months behind the Gregorian calendar, so September 2001 is Meskerem 1994 in Ethiopia.
Ethiopians also measure time differently than we do in the west. The clock starts at 6am western time and runs until 6pm. So-8o'clock in western time would be 2o'clock Ethiopian time. Ethiopia is close to the equator. As a result, the sun rises at around 00.30 Ethiopian time and sets at around 12.45 in the evening (6.45 western equivalent) all year round. Ethiopia is 3 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). The years run in a four year cycle bearing the names of the Gospels with the year of John or Yohannes being the leap year.
Enkutatash is an important festival in the lives of Ethiopians. After three months of heavy rains the sun comes out creating a beautiful clear fresh atmosphere. The highland fields turn to gold as the Meskal daisies burst into flower. When Makeda (the Queen of Sheba) returned to Ethiopia after her famous visit to King Solomon, her chiefs welcomed her forward by giving her "enku" or jewels. Enkutatash which means "gift of jewels"' has been celebrated ever since in spring. Meskerem is seen as a month of transition from the old year to the new. It is a time to express hopes and dreams for the future.
On New Year's Eve, torches of dry leaves and wood bundled in the form of tall and thick sticks are also set on fire in front of houses as the young and old sing. Early in the morning everybody goes to Church wearing traditional Ethiopian clothing. After Church there is a family meal of Injera (flat bread) and Wat (stew). The girls go from house to house singing New Year songs for money and the boys sell pictures that they have drawn. In the evening families go to visit their friends and drink tella (the traditional Ethiopian beer). The elders discuss their hopes for the New Year the children spend the money they have earned. Recently, it has become usual for well-to-do city dwellers to send each other New Year greetings cards instead of the more traditional bunches of flowers.
Stay tuned...............
We have another special holiday to celebrate here soon. The (Chinese) Mid Autumn Moon Festival will be celebrated on September 14th!! Does anyone sense another impending history lesson?
Isn't this exciting?! So many things to celebrate in this multi-cultural family!
