Things to do in Ethiopia – Wangechi Gitahi Travels

Africa

Timkat Festival

By Wangechi Gitahi

Timkat is a religious festival celebrated by the Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia, on 19th or 20th January in a leap year. Timkat means Baptism and is a celebration of the baptism of Jesus in river Jordan by John the Baptist, the celebration of Epiphany. The festival occurs all over Ethiopia thus you can enjoy it in any town you may be in. I had the honour to attend the festival while in Addis Ababa and what an emotional roller coaster it was. During the festival, models of the Ark of the Covenant otherwise known as the Tabot, are removed from the Orthodox churches and carried to a designate water body by a select priest. A Tabot represents the Tablets given to Moses by God, that had the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. Every Orthodox church has one in safe keeping and it is not available for public viewing unless on…

Africa

Shashamane, the home of Rastafarians

By Wangechi Gitahi

Rastafarianism was made popular by the great singer Bob Marley. They are easily identified by their “Rasta colours”, their dreadlocks and their Reggae music. With time however, I wanted to learn about who they really are, what they are truly all about and what it means to be “Rasta”. I thus have put Jamaica on my bucket list to experience this, as it is the country most associated with them. However, when I heard that they are found in great numbers in my neighbouring country Ethiopia, in a town called Shashamane (Amharic)/ Shashemene (Oromo), it was only fair that I start my “Rasta” interaction there. I came to learn that Emperor Haile Selassie had offered 500acres in this area as a home for all Rastafarians, and it is for this reason and more, that you will meet Rastafarians from across the globe calling this place home. Things to do in…

Africa

The beauty that is Awasa

By Wangechi Gitahi

Awasa also known as Hawassa is a beautiful city located 270km Southwards of Addis Ababa, in the central region of Ethiopia and is found in the Great Rift Valley. It is a beautiful city, well organized, lots of culture on display and the people are very warm. Things to do in Awasa: Visit St.Gabriel: This is one revered Orthodox Church that is not only an art piece, but also a true beauty. In the Orthodox Church, women wear long dresses and are expected to cover their head with a scarf or shawl. The men and women do not mix in the church and hence, they also enter the church from different doors. 2.Visit Lake Awasa As you drive to Awasa, you will see a major lake flowing for most of the distance. This lake is 16km long and about 9km wide. The lake is multipurpose for both residents and wildlife.…