Among all other holidays, New Year is unique in that people throughout the world celebrate it. But People in different countries have varying ways of celebrating New Year. As a country owning its calendar, Ethiopia also celebrates New Year in its traditional way that is somehow unique from others.
Currently, Ethiopians live in various parts of the world. In the areas, they live they celebrate Ethiopia’s traditional holidays. One of such holidays that is of much importance is the Ethiopian new year, enkutatash.
Enkutatash marks the setting of the new Ethiopian New Year. It is celebrated with many ceremonies. Gathering around a bonfire Ethiopians sing and dance to praise the coming of a new year. Then they jump over the remnants of the bonfire symbolizing the transition to a new year. There are also many other traditional activities celebrated during the day.
Even though they are not able to carry many of the cultural features of these holidays to the places of their current residence Ethiopian communities celebrate Enkutatash through events that commemorate the events they used to celebrate at home.
“Previously we used to celebrate the day by closing roads and practising our traditional celebration.”
Says Getahun Asfaw, co-owner of Messob Ethiopian Traditional Restaurant, in Little Ethiopia, a place in Los Angeles California. Little Ethiopia is the smallest of L.A.’s 18 officially recognized ethnic enclaves, but it is the only one to recognize a culture from the African continent. It is also the first place outside Ethiopia to be officially named for the home country and the first in U.S. history in an American city officially named for an African nation.
“This year, however, we have cancelled the traditional outdoor celebration due to fear of the alarming spread of delta variant of COVID,” said Getahun. According to Getahun, Ethiopians of different ages, youth or elders, used to come and attend the New Year celebration before.
One of the ways the Ethiopians celebrate the New Year is by gathering for prayer and blessing in Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In addition to the traditional prayer people who have organized themselves in a traditional self-help association called Iddir also extend charitable services to Ethiopians who are in trouble, according to Estifanos Balcha, an Ethiopian who lives in Los Angeles.
Getahun says he arrived in the USA in 1990. For the last 20 plus years he has been running the business in Little Ethiopia, the locality which he describes as “a reminder of big Ethiopia”
Many Ethiopian restaurants and shops, among others, are found in Little Ethiopia. “Many Ethiopians feel delighted to see this. It is a flag, icon of freedom for us” says Getahun.
“I believe that this helps Ethiopians to know their culture. I wish I were able to promote all the cities, towns, etc of Ethiopia in my restaurant” says Getahun about his ambition to introduce the many features of his country to the outside world.
Getahun has made some attempts to introduce some captivating features of Ethiopian culture and heritages in his restaurant. The seats, tables, wall decorations and some other furniture are imported from Ethiopia and have added colour to his restaurant.
Customers to Ethiopia’s traditional restaurants abroad including the US are not only Ethiopians. By far a large number of foreigners frequently visit the restaurants and even enjoy the service there, according to Getahun.
“Foreigners know Ethiopia even more than some of us do. The majority of them read about Ethiopia, they appreciate us and they respect our culture” said Getahun.
In addition to maintaining their cultural features, Ethiopians also always keep in mind the day to day situation of their home country. Accordingly, Ethiopians have been contributing financially, morally and through conducting demonstrations as well as online seminars to denounce unfair external pressure against their country.
One of the recent incidents for which Ethiopians showed an unprecedented level of collaboration is in connection with the ongoing law enforcement operation in Tigray and the subsequent attempt of foreign powers to take advantage of the crisis to meddle in the internal affairs of the country.
According to Getahun, in addition to the global pandemic which caused the cancellation of the celebration of Enkutatash through the usual tradition, the ongoing conflict in the country is another big reason. This is because people’s happiness would not be complete when compatriots at home are suffering from the ongoing conflict, Getahun noted.
“May God dismantle the junta who are the causes of all the trouble!” he expressed the feeling of many Ethiopians who is devastated by the conflict at home.
BY ZEKARIAS WOLDEMRIAM
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD 14 SEPTEMBER 2021
