Ethiopian Christmas (Genna)
January 7th, is the day when the historically Ethiopian Christmas has been celebrated and Ethiopians are not the only ones who do so. Russian orthodox and other orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 7.
Christmas, which is celebrated on the 7th January, is called Ledet or Genna which comes from the word Genna, meaning “imminent” and which expresses the coming of the Lord and the freeing of mankind from sin. While the Gregorian calendar celebrates Christmas on the 25th of December, Ethiopia still retains the ancient Julian calendar in which Christmas falls on January 7th (of the Gregorian calendar.) Genna is also the name given to a hockey-like ball game. Legend has it that when shepherds heard of the birth of Christ they rejoiced and started playing the game with their sticks.
Related Attractions
Timket Festival
Timket is the greatest festival of the Ethiopian year, falling just 2 weeks after Ethiopian Christmas.It is actually a 3-day affair preceded by the eve of Timket when the dramatic processions take place through a night of fasting, to the great day itself and the...
Meskel Festival
Meskel is celebrated across Ethiopia on 26/27 September to commemorate the unearthing of the True Holy Cross of Christ. Celebrations begin with the building of the Damera bonfire in Maskel Square in Addis Ababa – a conical pyre of poles surrounded by bundles of...
Ireecha Festival
Irreecha is a chain of rituals performed to plead with and also extend gratitude to the creator. There are two major annual celebrations; Irreecha Tulu (of hilltop) and Irreecha Malka (of lakeside). The former is held during the dry season to plead with Waaqa (the...
Gifata festival
Gifaata or Gifaataa is a cultural festival celebrated by the Wolayta people in the Southern Region of Ethiopia. This festival is celebrated each year in September. In this celebration, the Wolayta accept the New Year and send off the old one. Gifaata means, "the...
Fichee-Chambalaala Festival
It is a New Year festival celebrated among the Sidama people. According to the oral tradition, Fichee commemorates a Sidama woman who visited her parents and relatives once a year after her marriage, bringing ''buurisame'', a meal prepared from false banana, milk and...
Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash)
Ethiopian New Year falls on September 11th at the end of the Ethiopian rain season and is called Enkutatash. September 11th is also celebrated to mark the commemoration of Saint John the Baptist. Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) is not only a religious holiday but it...
Eid-al-Fitr
Like in most of Omo tribes, scarification is widely used in the Kara tribe. Men braid hair in tight braids close to the skull. Sometimes men love to decorate their hair with various feathers and flowers. Women’s favorite hairstyle is a shaved skull or very short hair...