Sometimes people ask me, “Which university did you go to?” I’d say, “Timket University!” You might know Timket is the Ethiopian celebration of Epiphany that happens in January each year. It has a lot to do with who I am. Timket is where I’ve initially found a platform to be anything I want to be. There I am a raw performer, with no choreography. Timket is improvisation at its best; you just go in and do what you can, until you fly. To the question “where did you learn how to dance with Jazz music?”, I say that the Jazz concept was born in Timket.

When I was growing up, around Yekka Mikael, Timket was a huge melting pot of Amhara, Oromo, Gurage, Tigray, and Minjar music and dance. So colorful and powerful! That was where I learned how to dance. As you see in this video, I love seeing men and women of all ages dancing together, people who are perfect strangers dancing the same rhythms, and giving each other hearty hugs afterwards. Even though they don’t understand each other’s language, they can communicate through body language. This is why I love Timket!

The religious aspect of the holiday is also important to me. Timket is a time for prayers. People pray to God and angels, who are the messengers of our prayers to God. People pray to become better persons, to have their loved ones protected, to have good health, jobs, good results for children’s exams, and so on. They pray to avoid bad spirits. They pray for peace and justice, for the country and the planet. Of course, they pray all year round; but Timket is special, because instead of people going to the Church, the Church comes out onto the street to meet the people.

Orthodox Christianity involves a lot of rituals and requires disciplines. On the first day of Timket, the priests bring out the sacred Tabot and pray all night in a tent. When they travel in the street, the local youths would volunteer to roll out carpets for them to walk on, for miles and miles. The priests don’t eat anything until the end of the day. They draw strength from their faith and spirituality. On the second day, everybody would go there to be blessed by the holy water outside the tent. The third day sees the biggest crowd near Yekka Mikael because by then priests from other churches have completed their outdoor activities. I’m more attached to Yekka Mikael because I grew up in that area.

Timket is also a time of freedom and equality. People of all statuses and backgrounds would be together in the street. Workers in people’s houses - security guards or domestics – get a break from their daily work and come out on the streets to gather with folks from their home regions. They miss their homes. Their employers do the same. People of different ethnic backgrounds, different religious beliefs – all are welcome at Timket!

And we are all dancing and singing! To me, dancing is a kind of prayer, a way to express our thanks to God. We face many challenges in life. But we’re still here. Temesgen! Sometimes people are dancing and crying at the same time, because they feel deep spiritual connections. So many emotions would come out. We feel free, purified, and honest in our expressions. It’s a level of energy that’s rare to find in other times and places.

We feel natural, comfortable and relaxed around each other, regardless of our ethnic and religious differences. It’s not stressful at all. At Timket, you get the feeling of One Love, and you might better understand why Ethiopia is one of the few countries where Christians and Muslims live together peacefully and intermarry so often.

That brings me to another aspect of Timket’s freedom. The Oromo people mostly go to Yekka Mikael to celebrate Timket. A lot of them get married during Timket. They dance their traditional dance all day and all night and they find their love in the process. Timket is a time of freedom to choose their life partners.

When I was growing up, we didn’t see Dawro or Gamo people in Addis Ababa’s Timket celebrations. There are small pockets of different ethnic groups in the city, but many of us are ignorant about the diverse cultures in the South because they are not represented in the mainstream forums. For exampe, we tend to associate all Southern cultures with Wolaita, but there are many groups in the region. They share some cultural practices, but their languages and customs can be totally different: Wolaita, Sidama, Gamo, Dawro, and so on. Their music shares some similarities but also have different rhythms and accents.

Some of the Gamo singers live in Addis Ababa. Living in their own neighborhood, they are known for weaving beautiful fabric. Some of them also gather and sell eucalyptus branches to make a living and support their families. Some go back and forth between Addis and their hometown. Singing is a big part of their culture and upbringing. When I invited the Gamo people to Fendika 12 years ago, I fell in love with their music! And I continue to learn from them. When I first brought them to Timket about 7 years ago, I found out they pray in Orthodox Mezmur of their own language!

The Dawro group does not live in Addis. I learned about them and their unique music instrument Dinka from music scholar Admasu Abebe who published a book about it. I invited the Dinka players to Timket 3 years ago. They have performed in Fendika, with Negarit Band and Ethiocolor. And they have added to the soundscape of Timket in Addis Ababa. The sound and energy are amazing when all the groups perform together. You can watch the video here (below), but you have to be here in person to have a true Timket experience!

To bring groups from outside Addis Ababa costs money. I have sponsorship here and there, but for the most part I’m paying for everything myself. I don’t mind because I see the beauty when we celebrate together, with all the cultures, all the colors together. Through the arts, we can unite people, and remind ourselves that we can respect each other and enjoy life together.

If I have more support in the future, my dream is to bring music and dance groups from all over Ethiopia for an annual street festival during Timket. Imagine the sound and colors of Timket then! These regional musicians can also give workshops in schools, teaching children about Ethiopia’s diverse music and customs. They can collaborate with Jazz musicians and Ethiocolor. Not only will we build bridges between Addis Ababa and communities in other parts of the country, but we will also be able to show our rich cultures to the world.

The work I do, whether it’s dancing or organizing, demands dedication and discipline. I always give my best effort. Here is why: I don’t take dance lightly; it is not just entertainment. Dance is my gift from God, and a language in which I speak with God: When I dance, I am fully present and full of thanks, for having this life, and for being able to contribute as I can. Through dance, I pray for peace, justice, and the wellbeing of our planet, I connect with other human beings, and I feel free and equal to all. It all goes back to Timket, where I discovered my dance, my path, my prayer.

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