Ethiopia is among the countries that have registered their tangible and intangible heritage under UNESCO’s cultural heritage list. Accordingly, it has registered nine tangible and four intangible world heritages including the recently registered “Ethiopian Timket (Epiphany)”.
Ethiopian epiphany that memorizes Jesus Christ’s Baptism by Saint John in the Jordan River has a long story to be celebrated all over Ethiopia. By the same token, Ethiopians particularly youth, women, elders and children along with church leaders and Sunday school students eagerly celebrate the day each year.
As an illustration, there is Ethiopian anecdote called “Le Timket yalhone kemis yibetates” literally meaning “Let a dress not meant for Timket be shredded”. This anecdote indicates the highest emphasis that Ethiopian citizens particularly women’s well organized preparation for the celebration. Most of the participants are supposed to come to the Timket are with special and cultural dressing style.
Women and men wear white loose dress, embellished with crosses. Choirs give color to the celebration singing and dancing around a drummer. Generally, they sing church chants, but there are many dances that have little or nothing to do with the sacred.
As Ethiopian Epiphany is one of the uppermost festivities that the faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church observes on the street, it has also economic and social benefits parallel with its religious outcomes. During the day, there is a large number of foreign tourist flows to the country. Also a lucky youth may meet with his or her pair to be husband and wife.
Youth across the country have a special role for adding vital value for the colorfulness of the festival. They start preparation before a month. They are the one who change the sprite of cities and village in to a colorful manner. Cognizant of this fact The Ethiopian Herald has approached some of them.
Deneke Moges is a resident around Addisu Gebeya in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. He is one of the delighted youths from among the surrounding neighborhoods who are able to escort Tabots or arks from three nearby Orthodox Churches.
“First of all I am so delighted and grateful to God for the inscription of our holyday Timket under UNESCOS’ world heritages list. And I have passed more than a decade in coordinating youths around my village to decorate paths of each Tabots and all participants of the festival.
Addis Ababa is among cities that are famous for the celebration of Timket to which thousands of pilgrims come from other parts of the nation. Following this, we have already started decorating the village just for celebrating the three days feast of Timket starting tomorrow as Ketera and to continue up to Tuesday “Kana zagelila”. And we are also ready to collect all decoration and putting in a good condition for the next year,” Deneke noted.
Teferi Mekonen, from historic city of Gondar on his part said that Timket is among the most popular national holidays among Ethiopian Christians. “And things are so special here in Gonder while celebrating the day. Youth’s motivation and coordination with religious leaders and the concerned government body makes the celebration very unique,” he added.
The celebration starts a day earlier than the main event, which is called Ketera. On Ketera, the replicas of the Ark of covenant called Tabots will be taken to the main event area called Timkete-Bahir, with the escort of a massive crowd of people. Therefore, said Teferi ‘the city is getting ready to celebrate this grate festival which may take three consecutive days’.
Considering a Ge’ez verse Hore Iyesus Emgelila Habe Yohanis which literally indicates the travel of Jesus from Gallia to Saint John to be baptized, both youths have passed their good wish for all Ethiopian Christian to have a happy festival of the holy Timket.
The Ethiopian Herald Saturday 18 January 2020
BY HIZKEL HAILU
