Enkutatash means "New Year" in Amharic, the official Ethiopian language, and midnight (well, not here, but there), marked the beginning of a new year in Ethiopia. Ethiopia follows a different calendar (the Ge'ez calendar) than we do in the U.S. (the Gregorian calendar). They are currently celebrating the arrival of the year 2001. "The seven to eight year gap between the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars results from alternate calculations in determining the date of the Annunciation of Jesus," according to Wikipedia.
The new year is also "the time when the seasons change for a good harvest; the rainy season ends, the dry season comes, and the crops are ready to be harvested." Did you hear that? THE RAINY SEASON ENDS. You know what that means? The courts will be open again soon!!! Hold onto your hats!
Here's an interesting article I found about celebrating the new year in Ethiopia:
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