With a calendar system that differs significantly from most of the world, this country is still in the year 2016 while the rest of the globe has already entered 2024.
On September 11, the people of Ethiopia will celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. However, as Ethiopia transitions into the new year this September, according to the Ethiopian calendar, they will only have entered the year 2017, as reported by CNN.
Why does Ethiopia – the second most populous country in Africa – lag behind most of the world by 7 years and 8 months? How does this unique calendar system affect the Ethiopian people?
Ethiopians begin the new year around the month of September. (Photo: CNN Unique Calendar).
A Unique Calendar
In Ethiopia, the birth year of Jesus Christ is recognized 7 or 8 years later than the Gregorian calendar, often referred to as the “Western calendar,” which was established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Despite the fact that most of the world has adopted the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia continues to maintain its own.
Eshetu Getachew, the CEO of Rotate Ethiopia Tours And Travel, stated: “We are unique. We [have never] been colonized. We have our own calendar. We have our own alphabet. We have our own cultural traditions.”
The Ethiopian calendar is believed to have originated over 1,500 years ago. This calendar consists of 13 months, with 12 months lasting 30 days each. The final month has either 5 days or 6 days in a leap year.
Due to international businesses and international schools in Ethiopia frequently using the Gregorian calendar, many Ethiopians have no choice but to simultaneously use both their traditional Ethiopian calendar and the Western calendar.
“It’s very difficult. I still can’t switch to one calendar. It’s really a challenge,” said Goitom W. Tekle, an Ethiopian archaeologist.
Mr. Tekle mentioned that some organizations must continually switch between the two calendar systems, combining both dates from the Western and Ethiopian calendars, especially when working with rural Ethiopians and those living abroad.
Moreover, performing simple administrative tasks such as registering a birth can also be fraught with difficulties.
German historian Verena Krebs, who specializes in European and African history, stated: “Suppose you take a 3-year-old child to register a birth at the city or local authorities in Ethiopia. Then, you fill it out according to the Ethiopian time system, believing that the clerks will accurately convert the time to the Western calendar. However, due to some errors, the child’s age could double or triple.”
A clock tower in Ethiopia. (Photo: GETTY IMAGES).
According to Ms. Krebs, the traditional Ethiopian calendar is not the only unique calendar system.
For instance, Saudi Arabia has a tradition of using the Hijri calendar, which consists of 12 months (totaling 354 days). However, recently, the country has approved the use of the Gregorian calendar for official transactions.
Meanwhile, the Jewish calendar is the official calendar of Israel.
A “Logical” Approach
Photographer Abel Gashaw is among many Ethiopians who adapt to using both calendar types. However, Mr. Gashaw admits he prefers the Ethiopian calendar because it is “more logical,” especially regarding the timing of the new year.
The new year in Ethiopia is called “Enkutatash”, which means “gift of jewels” in the Amharic language of the Semitic people in Ethiopia. “Enkutatash” occurs at the end of the rainy season.
“It is a new beginning for us. After that, the rainfall gradually decreases, and everywhere you go is very green,” Mr. Gashaw shared.
Mr. Gashaw believes that celebrating the new year on January 1 (according to the Western calendar) holds no significance in Ethiopia, as this date falls during the dry season.
“I know this is a terrible day for the world [referring to the September 11 attacks in 2001] in the U.S. But the Ethiopian new year starts on that day every year,” Mr. Gashaw remarked.
Not only the dates, but the way of calculating time in Ethiopia is also very different.
Ethiopia uses a 12-hour clock system, unlike the widely used 24-hour system today. Their time system starts at dawn and ends at sunset. Accordingly, what Ethiopians refer to as 1 o’clock in the daytime is equivalent to 7 a.m. in many other countries.
Mr. Gashaw explained that this reflects life in Ethiopia, where the number of daylight hours is quite stable due to its proximity to the equator. He believes this is a more logical way to calculate time than the 24-hour system.
“To be honest, I don’t understand why European time changes at midnight. Because everyone is asleep,” Mr. Gashaw added.
A church in the town of Lalibela (Ethiopia). (Photo: GETTY IMAGES).
However, this system of timekeeping also presents many inconveniences.
“When I buy a plane ticket, airlines use European time, so I check back 3 or 4 times to ensure my schedule,” Mr. Gashaw recounted.
He once missed an exam due to absence because his class schedule was calculated using the 24-hour system, while he mistakenly thought the exam time was according to Ethiopian hours.
“When they said 2 o’clock [afternoon], I thought it was Ethiopian time, meaning in the morning [according to Ethiopian calculations]. So when I went to the exam room, there was no one there. At that time, I thought the exam day had been canceled,” Mr. Gashaw explained.
