Ethiopian Epiphany: Spirit of Unity, Friendship

Addis Ababa January 19/2019 Ethiopians observe Epiphany, known as Timket on the 19th of January through various religious and cultural observations.

The outdoor holiday has a unique feature as it involves carrying Tabots or replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, which are found in every church and monastery of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, to communal baptism places.

Streets are crowded with thousands of people who escorted these Tabots to the communal places, singing spiritual and cultural songs, perform traditional dances and parades with attractive traditionally decorated clothes.

Non-believers are also attended the festival, as it helps as a cultural display.

Getachew Tesfalem, lecturer at Kotebe University said the festival is an indication of compassion, love, togetherness and unity among societies that have different cultural backgrounds.

Timket is a religious holiday that celebrated mainly by the followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox and Catholic Churches, however, followers of other religious institutions also attend the festival to show togetherness and unity, he said.

 “In my observation, Timket is among the main celebrations that creates a spirit of unity and friendship between different religious, ethnic groups and society in public places”, he said.

He mentioned practices in Dessie, a town in Northern part of the country, which Muslims accompany Christians while they escort the Tabots. “We saw when Muslims celebrate epiphany with Christians; this also works in different parts of the country with other religious.”

For Getachew Belete, folklore and literature researcher, Timeket is more than exchanging culture; rather it is time for establishing a family. Young girls and boys start relation that led them to marriage during the festival.

 “When we look at the celebration, it’s involved by huge number of young girls and boys, because the holiday lays on harvest season especially in rural areas so this makes a boy to prepare himself economically”, he said.

Young boys believe that the Timket the best season and festival to find a wife or lover, as it creates a favorable condition for them to choose, he added.

Even though, technologies like facebook and whatsapp are replacing the tradition in urban areas, it served for many as a moment of knowing each other and making engagements, he indicated.

History Lecturer at Kotebe University, Abel Chala on his part said love and sharing good moments as well as maintaining unity is a culture that lasted for several years in Ethiopia, through festivals such as Timket.

 “We can hear music in several languages [at the festival], we can see ways of dancing in different cultures, all are different, but are very attractive, beautiful and interesting”, he said.

He said holidays like Timket have enormous impact in strengthen unity and harmony in Ethiopia, home to more than 80 ethnic groups. 

Epiphany or timket is one of the biggest outdoor religious festivals, which celebrated on January 19th to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the hands of John the Baptist.