ABSTRACT
A national holiday Peter and his girlfriend, Tsehay, meet Kebbede by chance as they are walking along Adwa Avenue in the direction of Piasa
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everywhere in the city centre. Is today a holiday, then! What's the reason for it? How come you don't know? Tomorrow is of course the Feast ofMeskel! The holiday's celebrated throughout the whole of Ethiopia. Since it's one of the biggest festivals celebrated every year the people have a day's holiday. Look! Let's go into this cafe! As it's a holiday let me treat you. Well now, what do you want to drink? Thank you very much. Let me have a cold beer. And what will you have, Tsehay? I'd prefer a milky coffee. So then, please tell me how the festival will be celebrated tomorrow. Before the day arrives a lot of preparations have to be made in advance. By way of example, in every house the women bake injera, make wot, brew tejj and brew tella. After that, everyone invites their friends and relatives to a party; and then eagerly waits for them, setting up a marquee on the eve so as to celebrate the holiday with them. Oh please! What amazes me is why we women always have to do everything. You men, though, merely sit around without doing anything! Why do you talk like this, Tsehay? Please don't argue! What I want to know is how the day of the holiday is celebrated. I don't want any more argument! Well, at daybreak everyone gathers and goes to the Meskel bonfire site. What's a Meskel bonfire? First people plant a long piece of wood. Then they stack lots of pieces of wood together around it. That is called the Meskel bonfire. Why do they plant a long piece of wood in the middle? The long piece of wood in the middle has the symbol of the cross on it. This is a representation of the cross which Queen Helena found. Why does everyone go to the bonfire site? To light the bonfire of course! Yes, she's right. Isn't there a bonfire festival in your country, then?
