By Dayo Yusuf
Philosophers have grappled with the nature of time since the dawn of civilisation. Physicists continue to debate if time is the fourth dimension of space. And social media can't seem to wrap its head around the fact that Ethiopia celebrated the advent of "New Year 2017" on September 11, 2024!
How can a country be seven years behind the rest of the world?
This intriguing question, which usually crops up around this time each year, would be simpler to answer than delving into Einstein's Theory of Relativity or mulling philosophical paradoxes.
Let's start with Ethiopia's fascinating history.
This East African country happens to be among the oldest in existence, finding mention in many religious and other ancient texts.
The holy Quran narrates how Ethiopia, then known as Abyssinia, provided refuge to Prophet Muhammad's followers when they were attacked in Mecca.
The Najashi of Abyssinia, known for his righteousness, provided shelter to the Prophet's followers when nobody else would.
The most significant aspect of Ethiopia's history is, however, the fact that Africa's oldest independent nation has never been colonised.
This means it was able to preserve its language, religion, culture and heritage through the ages, including the more turbulent periods in the history of the continent.
Ethiopic Calendar
Ethiopia's historical independence insulated it from much of the changes that the rest of the world adopted.
The Ethiopic or Ge'ez Calendar, which differs from the Gregorian Calendar established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, was introduced in the 16th century by Emperor Ge'ez Sarsa Dengel of Abyssnia.
It follows the ancient Coptic Alexandrian calendar, albeit by adding a leap day every four years (similar to the Julian Calendar).
While the accuracy of the Gregorian version has come under scrutiny even within the Church – Pope Benedict XVI notes that the calculation of Jesus Christ's birth in 1AD is off by several years – the Ethiopic Calendar makes a crucial adjustment based on the premise that Jesus was born in 7BC.
Not only that, the Ethiopic Calendar also marks January 7 as the date of Jesus's birth, making even its celebration of Christmas Day different.
Orthodox church followers in Ethiopia adhere to this calendar.
The Ethiopian calendar has twelve months, each with thirty days and five or six epagomenal days forming a thirteenth month.
Months begin on the same days as the Coptic calendar but use Ge'ez names.
Unique New Year
The Ethiopian New Year, called Enkutatash, coincides with September 11 (or 12 in non-leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar.
The origin of the Amharic term "Enkutatash" is traced to the visit by the Queen of Abyssinia, also known as the Queen of Sheba, to King Solomon in Jerusalem for a debate on her faith.
According to Ethiopian tradition, on September 11, the Queen of Sheba (known as Makeda in Ethiopian lore) received a homecoming where her people presented her with jewels —hence the name "Enkutatash", which translates to "gift of jewels".
In present-day Ethiopia, the New Year is welcomed on this day each year just like the rest of the world does on January 1 in the Gregorian Calendar.
"Holidays and celebrations bring people together, and September 11 is no different,'' Bahi Kidus, an Ethiopian in London, tells TRT Afrika.
A typical celebratory spread on New Year would include Injera, a traditional Ethiopian bread made from fermented teff (lovegrass) flour, paired with chicken broth, eggs, Shiro sauce, lamb and vegetables.
The traditional tej, or honey wine, is also popular in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Throw in laughter, Eskista (or "dancing shoulders" in Amharic), coffee and conversation, and you have a celebration that refuses to ebb.
Often, enthusiastic natives stretch the fun to a week.
Economic realities
Inflation, drought, floods, and bursts of violence have had a significant impact on the economic situation of many Ethiopians.
"If you look at the celebrations now and what they were like when we were growing up, things have changed," says Kidus.
"The economy has taken a hit. Most people can't afford to celebrate, at least not as we used to."
Those who have left the country for the promise of better economic and other opportunities elsewhere cling to childhood memories on occasions such as the Ethiopian New Year.
''We find ourselves far from our motherland. These memories are the ones we hold tightly to for a feeling of home," explains Kidus.
In faraway London, maybe even the greeting "Melkam Enkutatash" — "Happy New Year" in Ethiopian — on September 11 sounds slightly different.
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