The Ashenda Festival 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. They also wear their hair in the braided styles that have been developed for ages and ornament themselves in jewellery and Ashenda grass. The length of festival that usually takes place between August – September, varies from three days to one month depending on where in the region it is; shorter in urban areas, longer in rural areas. Customarily, people give them gifts in form of money, food and drinks. This goes on the entire day and throughout the festival period. To close the celebrations the women and girls convene in a central area to drum, dance, sing and socialize.
Overview
A unique colorful ceremony and one of the greatest festival in Northern Ethiopia . Ashenda is a girls and young women’s festival celebrated in northern Ethiopia among Orthodox Christianity followers. It is typically celebrated between 16-26 August every year. Its length varies from three days to one month depending on the locale. The holiday is mainly celebrated by Tigrayans.
The word Ashenda stands for the “tall green grass” which in the minimum has a 80-90 centimeter height. Making a miniskirt type of dress, girl, in the north, tie it around their waists while marking a special holiday – Ashenda – that derived its name from the grass .
Gathering in groups and going out into streets,they stage different traditional dances chanting heart titillating songs beating a special drum with their hands. As they go out at their best they lure the opposite sex, with peeled eyes who are alert to choose their best. In most cases the girls win suitors.
Ashenda Festival in Mekelel
- The Ashenda Festival is an annual cultural celebration associated with northern Ethiopia especially the Tigray and Amhara regional states.
