Ethiopia, which abides by the Orthodox Julian calendar, celebrated its New Year on Wednesday with President Girma Wolde-Giorgis calling for national unity to fight drought and Aids.
As much of the world commemorated the anniversary of last year’s attacks on the United States, Ethiopians largely spent a quiet Enkutatash, or New Year’s feast day, with their families.
Official statements made no direct mention of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon, but celebrations were more muted than usual in the Horn of Africa nation.
In a nationwide broadcast, the 78-year-old Girma, whose role is largely that of a figurehead, urged Ethiopia’s 65-million people as well as the donor community to help cope with a drought affecting most of the country.
Tuesday night marked the passage from 1994 to 1995 in Ethiopia’s calendar. The Enkutatash festival traditionally heralds the return of sunnier weather after three months of rain, but not this year.
Girma also exhorted his compatriots to step up efforts to fight Aids, in a country where some three million people either have the disease or are infected with the virus that causes it.
Both messages were taken up by clerics of all the main faiths in the country: Ethiopian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic and evangelist.
Commenting on the eve of Wednesday’s anniversary of the US attacks, an Ethiopian-American visiting his homeland told AFP that ”it is hard to party after this tragedy, even for us.”
Nevertheless, traditional costumes were taken out and dusted down.
Families celebrate the new year with special dishes accompanied by traditional bread and sauces.
Ethiopia adheres to the Orthodox Julian calendar.
The Julian Calendar was used by the European and Christan communities until the Gregorian reform of 1582. – Sapa-AFP