Ethiopian New Year Facts

Here is a look at the history behind the new year celebrations.

Ethiopian new year facts. This holiday is based on the ethiopian calendar which was fixed to the julian calendar in 25 bc by emperor augustus of rome with a start date of 29 august j c thus establishing the new year on this day clarify the date marks the approximate end of the rainy season. For ancient greeks flooding of nile every year marked the beginning of new year. The holiday is named enkutatash signifying a gift of jewels since it is thought that the queen of sheba got back to.

Ethiopian distance runner abebe bikila won the gold medal in the olympic marathon in 1960 running the race barefoot he won the race again in tokyo four years later becoming the only individual to win the race twice setting a world record. It is a season where the three months heavy rain ends and the sun comes out. It is an ethiopian holiday shared among people of all religions and almost all cultures throughout the country.

Enkutatash is the name for the ethiopian new year and means gift of jewels in the amharic language. Greece mexico and netherlands go for ring shaped pastries and cakes which signify that the year has come to a full circle. Until 2006 the space shuttle never flew on new year s day or eve because its computers couldn t handle a.

Ethiopia has 13 months. Their current year is still 2006 and they celebrate new years on september 11. Ethiopian new year is the first day of the month of meskerem which compares to 11 september on the gregorian calendar.

Interesting new year facts. Image credit cia. Enkutatash which means gift of jewels is the celebration of the ethiopian new year.

Ethiopian new year is a public holiday. Learn some facts about zimbabwe facts about ethiopia s religion food and civilization. Marked on meskerem 1st of the ethiopian calendar or september 11th of the european calendar.