Ethiopian culture in your family

List of holidays

Many Ethiopian events are held throughout Australia each year.

New Years Day
(Julian Calendar) 1January

Genna
Ethiopian Christmas: birth of Christ) 7 January

Timkat
Ethiopian Epiphany: baptism of Christ) 19 January

Adwa Day
(commemorates the victory by Menelik II over Italy in 1896) 2 March

Patriot's Day
(celebrates end of Italian occupation in 1941) 6 April

International Labour Day
1 May

Ethiopian Good Friday
May (variable)

Fasika
(Ethiopian Easter Sunday) May (variable)

Idd al Fitr
(end of month of fasting for Ramadan) May (variable)

Idd al Adha
August (variable)

Buhe
21 August

Enkutatash
(Ethiopian New Year) 11 September

Umbrellas

Use in festivals in Ethiopia

Priests carry on holy days with the bright colours and tassells/fringes around the edges. Umbrellas are carried on special occasions like the Epiphany and at Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)

Religious significance

In church services the umbrellas are carried by the priests in processions and then at the stage where money is given by the people attending church - the umbrellas are turned upside down and everyone throws money into the umbrellas

Suggestion

Little ceremonial umbrellas out of tissue paper, foil etc

Ages

A bit fiddly for lower primary aged kids to make, mum/dad could make for younger children.

Christenings

Tradition

The baby is completely undressed and washed with holy water and then redressed in very formal Ethiopian clothes that are a baby sized version of older outfits.

When a baby is born

Tradition

All people visiting the baby are asked to write their wishes for the child on coloured pieces of paper.

Reason

These are then collected (not supposed to be read by anyone) and saved for the baby. They are given to the baby when they grow up

Where in Ethiopia

This traditions was a remembered by an Australian-Ethiopian girl who was born in Addis, she isn't sure if this was a practice used in many other parts of Ethiopia

Tradition

Laying a new baby on Injera. The baby lays naked on many layers of round injera and everyone prays and says thankyou that the baby is alive and growing, and that the family is blessed and has food to eat

Significance

It is about gratitude to God that the baby has lived (some people wait to do this when the baby reaches 6 months old).

Injera is used because "this is the food that keeps us alive".This can happen at anytime but often after several months.

Candles

Christmas Tradition

When everyone goes to church for Christmas they carry lit candles and circle the church three times.

Easter Tradition

Candles which are made of thin threads of cotton bound together by a small amount of wax.

Religious significance

These represent the light of Jesus Christ and during the Easter service everybody lights one from an already burning candle.

Crosses and Crowns

Easter Tradition

On Fassika which is Ethiopian Easter and one idea shown there is crosses, crowns & rings made of palm leaves

Religious significance

These are worn on Palm Sunday as a reminder of the palm leaves that were laid in Jesus path.

Suggestion

Perhaps a simple cross out of some sort of palm leaves which could then be stuck on a card. For the crown maybe you could just use simple cardboard crowns and decorate them with palm leaves and even flowers as for the cards.

Meskel

Also called Maskel and Mesquel

Make

Make a Meskel Cross

Making a cross

An illustrative example of how to make an Ethiopian cross is found on this website

Games

Christmas tradition

Game called Ganna - somewhat like hockey

Significance

The shepards are believed to have played this when Jesus was born

Beading

Beading in Ethiopian colours (black with green, yellow and red) - necklaces, bracelets, anklets, hair

Food

Coloured food

Make injera and colour the dough green, yellow and red then made layers.

You could do this as individual bread rolls with the 3 colours layered in each one.

Layered fruit

Make layered fruit drinks (see recipes)

Layered jelly

Make jelly, layering with different colours

Flowers

Enkutatash Tradition(Ethiopian New Year)

Make a card depicting flowers, to give to a loved one

Significance

This gift would sybolise the wishes given for renewal and starting the year fresh, the flowers remind us of the yellow Ethiopian daisy, peace and life
ages. An activity for children of any age

Back to Home Page