On Sunday was the Hindu celebration of Krishna Jayanthi or Lord Krishna’s birthday. This day had me thinking a lot about my family. Every year, my mom prepares several snacks and sweets to offer in prayer and also draws the image of Lord Krishna’s feet leading into the house. I also was thinking a lot about my grandparents today. Krishna Jayanthi was my grandfather’s favourite celebration, as he was particularly fond of Lord Krishna, and my grandmother makes sure to make the prayer and festivities extra special even today 20 years after his passing. I missed my family today for sure and had a chance to speak with my grandmother in India for the first time since I have been in Ethiopia. It was wonderful to talk to her and get the full scoop on my family in India.
Today, in observing this special occasion in my faith, I was reminded of the importance of religion in Ethiopia. Almost instantly upon arrival here, I have been asked repeatedly about my religious beliefs. In our CIDA pre-departure training, I was told repeatedly not to discuss religion or bring up the topic, as it could be a contentious issue depending on the people with whom I was speaking. However, they did indicate that I would likely face this question. I have been as candid as possible, but the answer for me is not so simple as a one word response. For me, faith has been an interesting, important, and core part of my life. Our family is Hindu and in addition, my parents and I have been following Sai Baba, a spiritual teacher in India who stresses the universality of all religions and the unified message of love, truth, peace, right action and non-violence that all religions promote. I also went to Catholic school as a child, so the Christian traditions have become a part of my life as well, especially during Christmas and Easter celebrations. However, my beliefs and opinions and world views transcend categorization and do not so neatly fall within one particular bracket. I guess that is what makes me different. In one sense, transcending categorization is what makes us all unique.
In Ethiopia, the orthodox faith is prominent though there is also a strong Muslim community and examples of other faith groups and religious practice. Living close to the largest church in Africa, Bole Madanyala (an Ethiopian Orthodox church), I am often reminded of the importance of faith. At the end of September, Ethiopia will observe the celebration of Meskal, a huge religious and cultural celebration that is prominent in the collective consciousness of the Ethiopian populace. Apparently, the celebrations are quite magnificent and my boss has indicated that he will have me over to his home to observe how Ethiopian families celebrate this important occasion. After a bit more research and observing the festival up close, I will write more about the origins of this festival and its specific traditions.
