TPN NEWSLETTER August 2020 The Daughters of Ashenda (ደቂ ኣሸንዳ) Ashenda celebrations in Tigray Source: Tigrai Culture and Tourism Bureau Ashenda/ኣሸንዳ (also referred to as Ayni Wari in Axum and Maria in Adigrat), is a unique Tigrayan cultural holiday coinciding with the celebration of the upcoming new year in September (Qudus Yohannes). The festival typically occurs every year between August 16th and the 26th (although the timing may vary throughout different parts of Tigray). This year, the three main days of Ashenda are from August 22nd to the 24th. The name “Ashenda” comes from the tall green grass that the daughters of Ashenda (ደቂ ኣሸንዳ) gather from remote areas in order to make the skirts that they wear around their waists as decoration. The festivities are mostly celebrated by girls and young unmarried women, who eagerly wait for the holiday every year. Similar to the Ge’ez script, the Ashenda tradition, widely celebrated around the world today, originated in the modern-day Tigrinya-speaking regions of Ethiopia and Eritrea and later spread to other areas. The holiday also showcases to the world the depth of our historical traditions, our beautiful culture, and the powerful role that women play in Tigrayan life. While the exact origins of the holiday are debated, it is argued by elders that Ashenda dates back thousands of years. According to religious oral history, the three-day long tradition dates back to the age in which the population primarily followed the teachings of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible. Some argue that it is linked to the celebration of women in Exodus 15:20 when Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, took up her tambourine and led the women in dance, song, prayer and exaltation. Some also link the origins of Ashenda to the four day celebration by Israelite women described in Judges 11:40 that later occurred annually in honor of the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite. The oral tradition that argues its ancient origins is corroborated in part by findings from a more recent archaeological excavation in the area around Wukro, where adornments similar to those that we know are now used for Ashenda were found, dating back over 3,000 years! Today, the tradition is often associated with the end of the fast called Filseta in which Mary the mother of Jesus is believed to have ascended into heaven. Historians are still exploring the different theories to this day. Despite its potential religious origins, the holiday is celebrated by many irrespective of creed today. The daughters of Ashenda (ደቂ ኣሸንዳ) coordinate, usually with those in the same neighborhood as them, and form groups weeks before the holiday to prepare for the big festival. In these groups, they hold elections for different roles and discuss many things in advance: what kind of traditional dress they want to have made (commonly Tilfi or Jedid), who will be in charge of being the lead singer, who will play the drum (koboro), and how money will be collected that is gathered during their visits to different shops and homes. The collaborative nature of Ashenda enforces the values of teamwork, responsibility and the strength in coming together as one. Before the holiday, traditional clothing stores and outdoor markets are crowded with excited girls and young women purchasing new dresses and a variety of other Ashenda accessories with which to adorn themselves. The daughters of Ashenda also go to formal or informal hair salons, or to the homes of family members to get their hair braided according to local custom before the festivities begin; with young girls traditionally getting the hair style “Game-Areb.” On the first day of Ashenda, it is customary that an Ashenda group starts off the day by gathering at their local church to pray and to honor the Virgin Mary. After the morning prayer, the daughters of Ashenda divide up into groups and freely go about the city to begin their celebration. Each Ashenda group uses their traditional clothing (Aleba Adi), eyeliner, accessories, jewelry and beautiful voices to draw attention to their unique cultural celebration. Young boys, also wearing their traditional clothing, usually accompany them with long sticks to serve as a source of protection. Their day of celebrating includes going house to house chanting traditional Ashenda songs (each of which have unique meaning and are often playful), admiring their elders and others for their good deeds, while receiving any type of gift in return; commonly food, drinks, and money. Traditionally, the groups would discuss and vote as to where to donate the money that they have earned - to the church or other good causes - but it is argued that nowadays most groups keep and divide the money amongst themselves. The holiday illustrates the tremendous role that women play in daily Tigrayan life. During the days of Ashenda, the number one rule is that the daughters of Ashenda are not to be burdened whatsoever and are free to do as they please, playing and celebrating from dawn until dusk. It is also said that during the holiday, all daughters of Ashenda, no matter their background or family history, are equal. They celebrate their holiday as equals; they make decisions as equals; and they voice their opinions as equals. For this holiday to arguably be the only time throughout the year where all girls and young women are freed from any work and responsibilities, shows the depths of how much they contribute to daily life and the degree to which traditional gender roles are still heavily enforced and believed in. This idea contributes to the notion that a lot of work still has to be done when it comes to creating awareness about gender equality, violence against women and women’s empowerment in Tigray. To that end, annual Ashenda celebrations have been used as an opportunity to create awareness among society and advocate for basic women’s rights. According to Zenebech Fisseha of the Women’s Association of Tigray, messages such as “let’s develop our culture, for all to repel violence against women” are communicated to the public in the spirit of Ashenda. It is also argued that the Women’s Association of Tigray brought attention to Ashenda in a kind of renaissance in 2005 (1997 Ge'ez Calendar). In recent years, the association said that they have made great efforts to involve and pass responsibilities of organizing the holiday on to the next generation of Tigrayan youth. The holiday has also gained widespread recognition across the globe, and Tigray has seen a massive increase in tourism every August as a result. The Tigrai Culture and Tourism Bureau continues to highlight Ashenda; not only because it is a large cultural holiday, but for the economic benefit it brings to Tigrayan women and communities. The Tigrai Culture and Tourism Bureau announced that they would like Ashenda to be registered with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage. Reasons for this include; preserving the cultural value of Ashenda, making Tigrayan cultural and historical customs known across the globe. Every year, Ashenda is also colorfully celebrated throughout all parts of the globe by Tegaru in the diaspora. In North America, these celebrations are usually hosted by local Tigrayan communities and other Tigrayan organizations. Due to COVID-19, Ashenda will be celebrated virtually in Tigray via different interactive programs on Tigray’s local television stations. The Tigrai Culture and Tourism Bureau has also announced that this year’s theme for Ashenda will be “ንምክልኻል ቫይረስ ኮሮና ኣሸንዳ ኣብ ገዛና'' or “To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Ashenda shall be celebrated at home.” Since COVID-19 is a global pandemic, different Tigrayan communities and organizations will be celebrating Ashenda virtually as well; including TPN! To get more information about how we are honoring our women and celebrating Ashenda, check out the “TPN News and Events'' section of this newsletter! Community News Congratulations Gebre-egziabher! On July 31st, SOS Children’s Villages International announced the winners of the 2020 Hermann Gmeiner Award, one of them being our brother Gebre-egziabher Gebre! We would like to thank SOS Children's Villages International for acknowledging the extenuating circumstances and awarding this phenomenal change-maker. Congratulations Gebre-egziabher! We are so proud of you and the incredible work you do. You are an inspiration to all Tigrayans! This is what happens when we all work together and rally behind our people! Video: Bring back Ethiopian migrants to their home! In TPN’s newsletter last month, Migration 101, we brought awareness to thousands of our brothers and sisters who are stranded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. To bring more awareness about our brothers and sisters who are still being neglected and are in dire need of our help, a group of young Tegaru from Colorado came together and made a powerful PSA video highlighting the migrants’ cry for help. Watch the video here and be sure to share with family and friends. Watch the video here and be sure to share with family and friends. The fundraiser to help support the migrants is also still active; consider making a donation here. Tigray Community of Colorado honors Class of 2020 On Sunday, August 2nd, the Tigray- Ethiopian Community Association of Colorado (TECA) held an outdoor celebration at their community center to honor all of their local graduates, including both high school and college. We would like to congratulate the entire Class of 2020 for their incredible achievements, and also highlight the TECA Board Members for putting this event together! Vote for Ruta Yemane! Ruta Yemane is currently among the Top 30 Finalists for the Best International Photo Model (BIPM) competition.