Holidays are extraordinary times, accompanied by celebrations and jubilations. Recently, Ethiopians gathered outside a stone age church in the northern part to celebrate Epiphany. The latter is a Christian holiday that commemorates the baptism of Jesus in River Jordan. It is also called Timkat in Ethiopia. It has been long since Ethiopians united in harmony. Therefore, this festival was a fantastic vibe for many. Also, amid the celebrations, Prime Minister Abiy took to declaring the country violence-free, news which enlightened the hearts of many with joy.
The Ceremony
The Ethiopians celebrated the holiday in style. Actors, actresses, dancers, and the audience were all present to mark the festivities. Drama troupes performed skits that hailed the military defeat of the TPLF. The audience applauded and cheered in response to the performers.
Timkat is one of the main drivers of tourism in Gondar, Ethiopia. As the event happens yearly, tourists always flood Ethiopia. The festival is one of the main reasons Ethiopian culture has earned a spot on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. However, this year has not been easy for Ethiopia as it has been struggling with the Tigray crises, ethnic violence, and surging tensions on the border with Sudan.
Most civilians and leaders decided to use the occasion to celebrate their military fight and issue public statements and performances to caution would-be enemies. Even though the ceremony had a different meaning, it was the best opportunity to voice out opinions. The ceremony marked a new beginning for Ethiopia, especially as they had undergone a lot.
” It is talking about Ethiopia’s renaissance, especially because of what the government is achieving with the law enforcement operation,” Gondar’s Mayor, Molla Melkamu, said.
Politics overpowered Religion
As the better part of that Tuesday involved political issues other than the intended ceremony, priests were alarmed. They tried shifting the focus from politics by singing hymns, burning incense, and reading Bible verses describing Jesus’ baptism. Some of the attendees, e.g., a 24-year-old man, condemned the idea of politics thriving in church. He said he attended the celebration for Religion and not politics.
However, for the prominent guests in the event, politics, and conflict were not far from their thoughts. Amhara regional President Agegnehu Teshager remarked that as they celebrated Timkat, their opinions were filled with the law enforcement who lost their lives during military operations. And they also thought of those who died and were chased from their homes because of ethnic differences.
The Tigray Conflict
For months the government of Ethiopia had been striving to end regional conflicts in Tigray. Although it was not after tremendous impact that the region seized tension, Ethiopians are glad their country is back at peace. It was in November when the 2019 Nobel Prize Winner, Mr. Abiy, announced that the military operations in the region were in response to TPLF orchestrated attacks.
Even though the Prime Minister declared victory over the TPLF leaders, the attackers are still on the run. Meanwhile, Ethiopians celebrate even the Amhara fighters who died while helping the federal soldiers in the line of duty.
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