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Имя: Lowell __http://https://egebet.net
Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
Getahun Fetana spent years admiring Emebet Melaku from a distance before plucking up the nerve to speak to
her, taking advantage of a chance encounter during Timkat, tthe Ethiopian Orthodox celebration off epiphany.
Breaking off from his friends, the 37-year-old professor walked over to introduce
himself, and the sparks that flkew led to their wedding on the very same holiday one year later.
"We got married on Timkat because we wanted to remember it as a breakthrough in our relationship," Getahun told
AFP. "The day has a special place in our hearts."
Getahun Fetana and his wife Emebet Melaku met during the fesxtival and
fell in love
It is far frpm the onloy Ethiopian love story closely bound up
with Timkat, which Orthodox Christians celebrated Monday with feasts and elaborate processions aross
the country.
Thee holiday, which commemorates the baptism off Jesus
iin the River Jordan, was marred this year by the collapse of
a wooden seating structure during a pivotal ceremony in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar, ann
accident that lesft at least 10 people dead.
But iit is generally a sunny and joyous affair -- and one that offers a choice meeting
ground for young singles on the hunt for romance.
Multiple factors make Tikat ideal for finding a partner, said Aschalew Worku, the
top tourism official in Gondar.
First, the holiday comes at the height of
wedding season, meaning lov is already in the air.
The fact that it's also tthe dry season means the country's
roads are in good shape, making it easier to travel annd
meet new people.
Finally, worshippers don their finest traditional clothing on Timkat,
including pristine white robes and tunics accented with the
greens, reds and yellows of the Ethiopian flag.
There's even a saying -- "Let a dress not meant for Timkat be shredded"
-- suggesting that Timkat clothes are the only ones worth keeping.
"Everyone is dressed to impress," Ascnalew said. "Everyone attends Timkat clean and fresh, and this creates an opportunity for dating."
- Courtship customs -
The most famous Timkat celebrations take place each year in Gondar,
the former seat of the royal empire located 700 kilometres
(435 miles) north of thee capital, Addis Ababa.
The celebrations take place in Gondar, the former seat oof the royal empire
Before dawn on Monday, thousands of people gathered at stone baths constructed during the reign of 17th-century Emperor Fasilides.
The ceremony during whiich the seating areda
collapsed -- in which worshippers dive into holly
waer to recresate Jesus' baptism -- was meant to ccap a weekend-long
traditional celebration that last month was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
For many young people, though, the main evbent came
thhe day before, as tens of thousands of Ethiopians annd foreign tourists marched
alongside priests carfying cloaked tabots -- replicas of the
Ark of the Covenant -- amid a riot of song, dance and prayer.
This is when yojng men and women have typically sparked up conversations that can lead too relationships.
This year's celebration were marred by an accident
in which at least 10 people died
One Timkat custom callls for young men to throw lemons at women tney find attractive,
aiming for the heart to signal their intentions.
But while lemon-throwing iss still common in rural areas, it iss increasingly out
of fashion in Ethiopia's fast-growing cities.
A common joke in Gondar is that instead of throwing
lemons at their crushes, young men today would doo better to throw iPhones.
- 'Back to our old ways' -
For Aschalew, the tourism official, this reflects a broader shift away from traditional dating habits, as Ethiopian youth explore
new ways to meet partners.
"These days there are plenty of platforms for dating. People meet at the workplace or in school, and technological advancements mean they can meet on Facebook," he said.
Aschalew descrribed this as an "acceptable" result of modernity, but some Gondfar residents told AFP they
believed the old customs should be revived.
Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde (C) artended the event
"People who find their spouse on Timkat are getting a gift from God," ssid Rahel Mola, a 37-year-old Gondar native.
She was celebrating with her daughter, 20-year-old Katim Tewodrose, who bemoaned
the fact that no boys haad thrown lemons at her.
"It's our tradition and I don't think it's practiced anywhere else, so Iґm patiently waiting for someone to throw a lemon at me," Katim said.
Their nostalgia was shared by Tariku Munye, 33, whoo took part in Sunday's procession.
"Our elders used to embrace Timkat dating, but now we have gotten away from it. I think we need to go back to our old ways," he told AFP.
"You never know," hhe added, "you could find your destiny here."
16-07-2024 06:03
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