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Holiday Focus: Meskel (Ethiopia)
Meskel was celebrated before the advent of Christianity and Islam and has been adapted by all faiths in Ethiopia. It comes in late September. Each religion or culture celebrates it in different ways, but some customs are similar. Urban people visit friends and relatives in the countryside.
On the eve of Meskel, each person places a tree branch vertically into a pile. There is a dance around the pile, and a community elder then lights the branches on fire. In the morning, most families slaughter a sheep or goat for a feast; some people pool their money to buy a bull. Families and neighbors gather to eat, sing, and dance. Christians tie a cross made of two branches to the top of the bonfire. The direction in which it falls is believed to provide a forecast for the coming year, as interpreted by a local elder or religious leader.
World Holidays Featured This Month
Vietnam - National Day - September 2
The day Ho Chi Minh declared independence.
Qatar - National Day - September 3
Marks independence from Britain with parades, art shows, sporting events, and feasting.
Malta - Victory Day - September 8
Celebrates the victory over the Turks in 1565 as well as the end of World War II.
Honduras - The Day of the Child - September 10
Unofficial holiday when children receive sweets and gifts at school and adults congratulate them when passing them on the street.
Argentina - Student Day - September 21
The first day of spring; marked by students gathering in parks for picnics and soccer.
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