A significant cultural and religious festival celebrating women and the Virgin Mary in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray has been abruptly cancelled following fears of a potential drone attack targeting the event. The festival, known as Ashenda, traditionally draws thousands of young women dressed in elaborate finery and participates in a mass gathering at a stadium in Mekelle, the main city of the Tigray region, on Saturday. The focal point of the Ashenda festival, a longstanding tradition for Tigray and other northern Ethiopian communities, was to be a large-scale gathering designed to commemorate the Virgin Mary. The festival, rooted in the Tigrinya language and symbolizing the ‘tall green grass,’ has grown to encompass a broader cultural event centered around the celebration of women and their roles within the community. It’s anticipated by young women and women in Tigray and neighboring areas, representing a vital cultural event. The three-day event takes place as Orthodox Christians commemorate the Virgin Mary. The name means ‘the tall green grass’ in Tigrinya, and it has evolved into a wider celebration of women’s cultural heritage. The festival traditionally involves intricate dances, braiding hair in specific styles, and a freedom of movement that is frowned upon at other times of the year. The latest drone strike hit Mekelle on Thursday, injuring 13 civilians and damaging homes, according to Tigray’s communications affairs bureau. Regional officials also reported two drone strikes near Dandera, 15km (nine miles) from Mekelle, on 18 August, stating that one person died and another was injured. A strike in Raya-Alamata district on 10 August left three dead. The Dori Asgedom, head of Tigray’s culture and tourism bureau, announced the cancellation of Saturday’s stadium gathering, citing ‘ongoing drone strikes and the threat of war’ as the primary reason. He added, ‘The drone attack on innocent citizens in Mekelle city is an act that history will not forgive and should be condemned.’ The Tigray regional administration also called for the ‘international community to break their silence’ and condemn what had happened, and urged for urgent diplomatic action to prevent further escalation. The event was initially conceived in 2022 when the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government signed a peace deal ending two years of fighting, resulting in an estimated hundreds of thousands of deaths. However, political tensions this year have heightened concerns that the conflict could re-ignite, following the TPLF’s removal of the interim administration set up under the peace deal and the reinstatement of its pre-war council. Both sides accuse each other of failing to implement the peace agreement. Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica. The Ashenda festival, traditionally a significant cultural event, has been significantly impacted by the recent drone attacks, raising concerns about the safety and security of the participants.”
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Source: BBC Africa
