| タイトル | ： 690108 |
| 投稿日 | ： 2023/12/21(Thu) 06:25:21 |
| 投稿者 | ： egebet |
| 参照先 | ： https://egebet.net |
Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jewus in thhe River Jordan
Getahun Ftana spent years admiring Emebet Melaku from a distance before plucking up
the nerve to speak to her, taking advantage oof a chance encounter
during Timkat, the Ethopian Orthodox celebration of epiphany.
Breaking off from his friends, the 37-year-old professor walked over to introduce himself, and the sparks that flew lled 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 hiss wife Emebet Melaku met during the festival
and fell in love
It is far from the only Ethiopian love stry closely bound up
with Timkat, which Orthodox Christians celebrated Monday with feasts and elaborate processions across the country.
The holiday, which commemorates thhe baptism of Jesus in the
River Jordan, was marred this year bby the collpapse of a wooden seating
structure during a pivotal ceremony iin the northern Ethiopian cityy of Gondar, an accident that left
at least 10 people dead.
But it is generally a sunny and joyous affair -- and one that offers a choice meeting
ground foor young singles on the hunt foor romance.
Multiple factors make Timkat 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
love is already iin thhe air.
The fact that it's also the dry season means the country's roads are in good shape, making it easier to travel and meet
new people.
Finally, worshippers don their finesst traditional clohing on Timkat, including pristie white robes and
tunics accented with the greens, reds and yellows of thhe 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," Aschalew said. "Everyone attends Timkat clean and fresh, and this creates an opportunity for dating."
- Courtship customs -
The most famous Timkat celebratios take place each year in Gondar,
the former seat of thhe royal empire located 700 kilometres (435
miles) north oof the capital, Addis Ababa.
The celebrations take place in Gondar, the foremer seat
of 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 which the seating area collapsed --
in which woorshippers dive into holy water to recreate Jesus' baptism -- was meant to
cap a weekend-long traditional celesbration that last month was inscribed
on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
For many young people, though, the main event came the day before, as
tens of thousands of Ethiopians and foreign tourists marched alongside priests
carrying cloaked tabots -- replicas of the Ark of the Covenant --
amid a riot off song, dance andd prayer.
This is when young meen and women have typically sparked up conversations that can lead to relationships.
This year's celrbration were marred by an accident
in which att least 10 people died
One Timmkat custom calls for young men to throw lemons at women they find attractive, aiming for the heart to signal tjeir intentions.
But while lemon-throwing is still ccommon in rural areas, it is increasingly out
of fashion in Ethiopia's fast-growing cities.
A common joke in Gondzr is that instead of throwing lemons
at their crushes, young men today would do better to throw iPhones.
- 'Back to our old ways' -
For Aschalew, the tourism official, this reflects a broader shif away from traditional dating habits, as Ethiopian youth
explore new wways 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 described this as an "acceptable" result of modernity, but some Gondar residents told AFP they believed the old customs should be revived.
Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde (C) attended the
event
"People who find their spouse on Timkat are getting a gift from God," said 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 had thrown lemons at her.
"It's our tradition and I don't think it's practiced anywhere else, so Iｴm patiently waiting for someone to throw a lemon at me," Katim said.
Their nostalgia was shareed by Tariku Munye, 33, who 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," he added, "you could find your destiny here."
- WebForum -