Gifaataa, Wolaita people New Year festival
Inscribed in 2025 (20.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
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 ends with a large community celebration known as ‘goolo-igetta’, which includes horse riding, music and final blessings from elders.
There are specific gender and age roles associated with Gifaataa. Girls help their mothers prepare traditional food and drinks and decorate houses, while boys assist their fathers with tasks like collecting firewood, building bonfires and repairing homes. Elders promote social harmony, resolving conflicts, advising on farming techniques and offering blessings. The knowledge and skills related to Gifaataa are passed down within families through participation in the festivities, and by schools, local media and cultural organizations. The practice promotes intergenerational connection, peace, unity and solidarity. It also provides an opportunity for youth to choose marriage partners.
