Culture, dance and heritage as Ethiopians welcome 2019 – Sqoop

The Ethiopian New Year arrived in Kampala with more than the promise of a fresh calendar. At Mestil Hotel, it came dressed in colour, culture, dance, poetry and food as the Ethiopian community in Uganda gathered to welcome 2019.

The Ethiopian New Year is unlike the January 1 celebration familiar to much of the world. Ethiopia follows its own calendar, made up of 13 months, 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of five days, or six in a leap year.

But beyond the numbers, the celebration was a reminder of a culture that has retained a strong sense of identity through centuries of history.

Held under the theme “Diversity: The Ornament of Ethiopia”, the celebration also marked Hibir Day, an Amharic expression of unity in diversity. The theme placed Ethiopia’s many cultures, languages and traditions at the centre of the evening while celebrating the shared heritage that binds its people together.

Ethiopian nationals living in Uganda, Ugandan guests and friends of the community filled the venue for an evening that blended diplomacy, heritage and entertainment.

With Ethiopia home to more than 130 million people, the celebration offered guests a window into the country’s remarkable diversity, with its rich cultural heritage showcased through presentations, performances and traditional expressions.

As guest of honour, Kampala Lord Mayor Salim Uhuru described the occasion as an opportunity not only to welcome a new year but also to celebrate the history and relationship between Ethiopia and Uganda.

“It’s a great honour to stand with you at the beginning of a new year 2019. Today is not a celebration of a new year, but a celebration of Ethiopian rich history. Uganda and Ethiopia share more than diplomacy,” Uhuru said.

He also praised Uganda for providing a welcoming environment for Ethiopians living and doing business in the country.

“Uganda has made it hospitable for Ethiopian citizens, and no other country has done that,” he added.

Uhuru urged both communities to build on their existing ties and approach the new year with optimism, cooperation and a shared commitment to peace.

“Let us look forward with hope. Let us continue building bridges between the two communities, supporting one another, working together for peace and prosperity,” he said.

But once the formal speeches ended, the evening shifted gears.

Guests were ushered in for dinner, where Ethiopian and Ugandan flavours shared the same table. Traditional Ethiopian injera was served alongside familiar Ugandan favourites including matooke, groundnuts, rice, beef and chicken, turning the meal into another expression of the cultural exchange at the heart of the celebration.

Ethiopian dancers took centre stage, filling the room with traditional movements and rhythms that transported guests beyond the hotel walls and into the cultural heart of Ethiopia. Their performances offered Ugandan guests a glimpse into the country’s traditions while giving members of the Ethiopian community a familiar connection to home.

A poet later took the audience through another side of Ethiopia’s artistic identity, adding words and rhythm to an evening already rich in cultural expression.

For Ethiopian Ambassador to Uganda H.E. Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu, diversity is not something to be overcome but something to be celebrated.

“Our ability to reach unity and diversity would be the beauty and the taste of our civilization. Our calendar is very unique, but that is also our ornament, our unity. Ethiopia’s unity can be explained in so many different ways,” she said.

Her remarks captured the spirit of the evening, a celebration of difference without losing sight of togetherness.

Ethiopia’s story, after all, is deeply rooted in its sense of history, independence and cultural identity. Its ancient heritage, diverse peoples, languages, landscapes and traditions continue to shape a nation that takes pride in its uniqueness.

The night eventually reached its sweetest moment with the cutting of the New Year cake, bringing guests together in a final gesture of celebration and friendship.