What is the purpose of Ashenda?

It commemorates the heavenly ascension of the Virgin Mary following her Dormition. It is typically celebrated between 16–26 August every year. Its length varies from three days to one month depending on the locale, being celebrated over a longer duration in rural areas and a shorter one in urban areas.

What kind of activities are practiced on Ashenda?

It is a yearly event during which the target group engage in different fun activities including drumming, dancing and socialization. It usually takes place between August – September. Participants are usually adorned in dresses with elaborate embroidery, jewelry and hair styles.

What is Tigray culture?

The Tigray are descendants of a Semitic people who intermixed with the Cushitic inhabitants of the region and founded the Christian kingdom of Aksum, which had its capital in the historic region of Tigray. The Tigray are a sedentary agricultural people.

What traditions are celebrated in Ethiopia?

Festivals in Ethiopia

• Timkat Festival (Epiphany) When: 19th/20th January.
• Fasika Festival (Easter) When: April/May.
• Meskel Festival. (Finding the True Cross)
• Genna Festival (Christmas) When: 7th January.

What is a commonly celebrated holiday in Ethiopia?

Celebrations in Ethiopia are great and colorful events, mostly religious, and frequently take place over several days. Important Christian holidays include Meskel, Christmas, Timkat, Kiddus Yohannes and Easter. In September, the two-day feast of Meskal marks the finding of the True Cross.

What religion is the Tigray People?

Orthodox-Christians
Most Tigreans are Orthodox-Christians (coptic). In Tigray, about 20% of the population is Muslim. The majority of Tigreans in Seattle are followers of the Orthodox church, there are few Muslim Tigreans in Seattle.

What are some interesting facts about Ethiopia?

7 Interesting Facts About Ethiopia

• Ethiopia’s calendar will surprise you.
• It has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the continent.
• Over 80 languages are spoken in Ethiopia.
• Over half of Africa’s mountains are in Ethiopia.
• The first African to win an Olympic gold medal was Ethiopian.
• Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest country.

What is the culture of Amhara?

The Amhara culture is patriarchal and authoritarian, emphasizing the superiority of the male over the female. The Amhara people historically had an imperialistic, militant, and expansionist government led by highly capable emperors directing armies with superior military strategies.

Why is the Ashenda festival important to Ethiopia?

The festival of Ashenda has cultural, religious and economic importance, and encourages industriousness. Once traditionally a girls’ festival, it has since gained widespread recognition and popularity in the northern part of the country and among communities of the Ethiopian diaspora.

Where does the name Ashenda come from in Ethiopia?

“Ashenda” is the name of a tall grass found in the country that the revelers use to embellish their celebration gowns. Ashenda is an annual cultural celebration associated with northern Ethiopia especially the Tigray and Amhara regional states.

What kind of dress do they wear at Ashenda?

Ashenda is an annual cultural celebration associated with northern Ethiopia especially the Tigray and Amhara regional states. The girls and young women who the festival is for, adorn themselves in dresses called ‘tilfi’ which is a cotton dress ornamented on the front with amazing embroidery from the neck to toe.

What’s the name of the Grass festival in Ethiopia?

Ashenda is a unique traditional Tigraian festival celebrated in northern Ethiopia that is exclusively for girls and young women. “Ashenda” is the name of a tall grass found in the country that the revelers use to embellish their celebration gowns.

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