Ganna - Ethiopian Christmas
The Ethiopian Christmas, known locally as Ganna after a hockey-like game the shepherds played when Jesus was born, usually falls on the old Julian calendar date of 7 January. The celebration has a gently festive air, especially on Christmas Eve in Addis, where people gather to eat, drink and dance.
Christmas is generally not that important in Ethiopia. This is partly because Orthodox Christianity is more centred around Mary than Christ, but most importantly because death is considered more significant than birth, hence Easter is a much larger religious occasion than Christmas. Only very dedicated Christians fast before Christmas, whereas almost all fast before Easter.
Many people follow the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian approach. On Christmas Eve, a religious ceremony takes place in all Orthodox Christian churches throughout the Ethiopian highlands. The ceremonies are long and involve the whole congregation. Priests dance sedately, swaying side to side in time with their sistrums (percussion instruments), while young men dance around a drummer, leaping and jumping, achieving an almost trance-like state. The ceremony begins sedately and builds up through the night into a crescendo, the music from the church being heard far and wide until the early hours of the morning.
In most towns, Christmas Day itself is largely a family affair, with the occasional game of Ganna being played in the afternoon. An invitation to a family Christmas is the best way to enjoy the day. If you're lucky enough to be invited, be prepared to eat a feast of delicious specialities and drink homebrew until late in the day.
The place to really experience a traditional Ganna is in Lalibela, which was built as Ethiopia's own Jerusalem by King Lalibela in the 12th century. There is therefore a particularly strong connection with Christ here, and pilgrims travel for days to attend colourful ceremonies in all of the 13 rock-hewn churches nested in the hillside. After church though, if possible, buy a goat or some tej (honey wine) and pay a visit to the adopted family you've found!
| Country Information: | Ethiopia |
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| Full Name: | |
| Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa, is a land of stunning natural beauty, covering an area twice the size of Kenya, France or Texas. A rich diversity of culture and geography, it is a land of rugged mountains (some 25 are over 4000m high), broad savannah, lakes and rivers, and boasts over 80 different languages and as many cultures. | |
| Directions: | Ethiopia is situated in North Eastern Africa bordering Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya to the south.
By Air: Domestic flights are probably the best way of getting round the country, with good services offered by Ethiopian Airlines between all the major cities. By Train: there is only one route running from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa and conditions can be overcrowded. By Bus: the bus service is run by the government and is extremely slow and unreliable. Fuel shortages often mean there is no form of public transport available and this will also have an affect on those who want to hitch. |
| Name: | Ethiopian Commission of Tourism |
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| Location: | Ethiopia |
| Address: | Ras Mekonin Ave, PO Box 2183, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Fax: | +251 (0) 1 513 899 |
