UNESCO has inscribed Gifaataa, the New Year festival of the Wolaita people of Ethiopia on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The recognition was granted on Wednesday during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, currently underway in New Delhi, India.
During the session, Ethiopia’s Minister of Tourism, Selamawit Kassa, underscored the importance of preserving and promoting the cherished cultural tradition.
Gifaataa is a New Year festival celebrated by the Wolaita community between mid-September and early October. Before the festival starts, people clean their surroundings and return home to be with their families. Disputes are resolved peacefully in preparation for the New Year.
On the main day of the festival, families come together to share raw meat and local beer and to receive blessings from elders. In the evenings, the community gathers around a bonfire for rituals, singing and dancing.
The festival lasts ten days and ends with a large community celebration known as ‘goolo-igetta’, which includes horse riding, music and final blessings from elders.
The Gifaataa Festival is the latest to join this prestigious list, further reinforcing East Africa’s standing as a center of rich cultural and historical attractions.
MG/as/APA