Lalibela, a small town located in the northern part of Ethiopia, is not only known for its ancient Rock-hewn churches but also for its vibrant and lively cultural celebrations. One of the most anticipated and colorful event in Lalibela is the Gena celebration, the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ. This unique festival brings locals and tourists together to experience the rich cultural heritage of Ethiopia. Attendants of the recent Gena festival in Lalibela expressed their happiness with the traditions, rituals, and joyful atmosphere that makes this event so special. In addition, they were also fascinated by the ceremonial process of the Gena celebration in Lalibela.
While Gena is a joyous celebration, it is deeply rooted in religious beliefs. The focal point of the festival is the midnight mass held at the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. These ancient churches, carved from a solid rock, provide a majestic backdrop to the religious procession and prayers. The chanting, incense, and candle-lit atmosphere create a spiritual ambiance, immersing participants in a deeply religious experience.
Amhara State Culture and Tourism Bureau Public Relations Head Abebe Embiale told local media that numerous international tourists have attended the Gena celebration in Lalibela.
“The colorful celebration of the festival was successful in showcasing the real image of the state and its efforts to restore peace and stimulate the tourism sector,” he said.
Accordingly, more than 500,000 local tourists also attended the festival in Lalibela. The successful completion of the festival gives impetus to promote the tourism sector and repeat such experiences during the upcoming Timket festival.
What is more, the Gena celebration in Lalibela is a truly unique experience that immerses locals and visitors alike in the vibrant culture and religious traditions of Ethiopia. From the colorful attire to the lively processions and spiritual ceremonies, this festival offers a glimpse into the rich heritage of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian community. So, anyone who aspires to have a memorable and culturally immersive experience can mark their calendars for the event and make way to Lalibela for the Gena celebrations in the next year.
In the upcoming week, Timket, festival, the Baptism of our Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, will be celebrated colorfully across the country. However, among others, the festival is celebrated more colorfully and warmly in Gondar, Addis Ababa (Jan Meda), Ziway. These areas have gained momentum through colorful Timket celebration with a huge get together of local and international tourists. These areas are also the top tourist destinations during the celebration.
Timket is one of the leading street festivals that is celebrated throughout the country with a huge gathering of the Christianity followers. Ethiopian Timket has gained more attention among the local and international tourists to attend. Hundreds of thousands of international tourists cross thousands of kilo meters to attend the Timket festival annually.
Currently, it is widely known that the festival is among the leading opportunity to showcase cultural assets and attract more tourists to the country. Timket is crucial in attracting tourists from across the world and paves the way for them to visit the country’s world-famous attraction sites.
More importantly, Timket festival will have significant contribution to the country’s economy through attracting more international tourists if utilized properly. The Ethiopian government is also doing its level best regarding this. Concerning stakeholders, the government, investors, and hotel- owners need to work together for the promotion of the festivity and benefit the country and its economy.
Timket festival is more colorful in the ancient capital of Gondar. Gondar is an ancient Ethiopian capital city in the north of the country. It was particularly important during the reign of Emperor Fasilides and Iyasu the Great in the 17th century, during this time palaces, castles, and a royal bath were built. It is at the royal bath that is filled with water once a year that Timket is colorfully celebrated.
In Gondar, Timket starts with smaller ceremonies at many churches, followed by colorful parades of choirs and priests, accompanied by the entire populace converging at the piazza. Their final destination is Fasilades’ Bath, a stonewall-enclosed complex where Fasilades (the founding Emperor or Gondar) had built a large royal pool and a place where the Timket celebrations occur.
Timket festival celebration in Addis Ababa becomes more colorful with a huge get together of the faithful. Decoration and cleaning of streets and paths through which the Tabots,( replicas of the Arc of Covenants) pass are part of the main preparation which starts few days before the main event. The streets of Addis Ababa will be festively decorated in green, red and yellow, the colors of the Ethiopian flag. Believers dressed in all white gather from all quarters of the city to celebrate Timket by singing, dancing and drumming together. On the eve of Timket, known as Ketera, the actual celebrations begin with a procession to Jan Meda– a sporting field and celebration quarter for Timket for over a century. Young people from respective church lead the procession, followed by priests in colorful robes. Congregates from all corners of Addis Ababa converged to Jan Meda accompanying the priests of respective churches to the field. Timket is unbelievably colorful and full of religious and cultural dancing and songs. Jan Meda explodes with excitement of the mass for two days that it is hard to miss the festival.
Meanwhile, Timket celebration is also more colorful in Ziway, Oromia State, where the faithful and priests travel by boats from the monasteries to the temporary resident of the Tabot. Located 160 km south of Addis Ababa, Lake Batu or Ziway is the home of the monastery which once served as exiling spot for the Arc of the Covenant during conflict around 9th century.
This year’s celebration will be marked at the same level of pace and momentum on 20th of January.
Timket festival was inscribed as one of the World’s Intangible heritage by UNESCO.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 12 JANUARY 2024
