Ethiopia Celebrates New Year as Nation Enters 2018 on it’s Calendar
Ethiopia Celebrates New Year as Nation Enters 2018 on it’s Calendar – Ethiopia has ushered in the year 2018 according to its unique calendar system, which is approximately seven years behind the widely used Gregorian calendar.
The celebration, known as Enkutatash, marks not only the beginning of the new year but also the arrival of spring and the end of the rainy season.
Festivities began on New Year’s Eve with bustling markets across Addis Ababa, such as Addisu Gebeya, where residents purchased items including yellow Adey Ababa flowers and long grass—used for decorating homes and during traditional coffee ceremonies.
Chickens and sheep were also in high demand for traditional dishes like doro wat and roasted mutton.
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Chickens were priced between 2,000 and 3,000 birr, while sheep cost as much as 22,000 birr.
In the early hours of New Year’s Day, the streets echoed with the traditional song Abebayehosh, performed by young girls wearing yellow flowers and playing drums.
Religious celebrations followed, with Orthodox Christian congregants gathering at Entoto St Raguel Church for prayer and incense rituals led by priests and deacons in traditional robes.
This year’s Enkutatash celebration coincides with national pride following the official launch of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a major national project symbolizing unity and progress.
Ethiopia’s calendar, which includes 13 months, remains an integral part of its identity.
The first twelve months each have 30 days, while the 13th month has five or six days depending on the year.
Despite the calendar difference, Ethiopians effortlessly switch between their local and the Gregorian year when speaking different languages.
