161:, a different province in the Amhara region. However, the culture of men throwing limes originates from the tradition of Aholalo. The full tradition is observed in Wollo, where there are also wrestling matches in competition for women. Any woman interested in marriage proposals, while singing together in a circle (see songs section below), will slowly move to the circle’s centre. If she catches the attention of a male, he will toss her a lime; she can accept as many proposals as she likes. Also, the woman may be given a lime, and then all of the interested men may ask her for it by saying “ere bakish” (Amharic: ኧረ ባክሽ), in which she may choose to give the lime to the man she fancies most. If the woman has multiple proposals by the end, the men will engage in a wrestling match. The winner is then allowed to send elderly men (Amharic: ሽማግሌ) to ask for her hand in marriage.
337:
222:
Wollo’s. Therefore, the women extensively decorate themselves with these different plants, especially in their hair. Some common plants that the girls in Wollo use for adornment and aromatics include
Ashkuti (red in colour, Amharic: ኣሽኩቲ), Natra/Ariti (white in colour, most commonly put behind the ears, Amharic: ኣሪቲ), Ades (a green leaf, Amharic: ኣደስ), and Tej Sar (long and grass-like in appearance, Amharic: ጠጅ ሳር). They also enjoy adorning their hair with
214:”) and clothing styles originating from Wollo also worn during this celebration, including the Lakomelza Qemis, Tiftif Qemis, Shirit, and Torqa Qemis, as well as Wollo style Mekenet’s. A tell-tale feature of Welloye dresses in general, though, are the blue and grey dyes, clearly indicating their origin. Another easy marker of a Wollo Qemis is the embroidery all along the back of the dress, starting from the waist down, and is called Tiftif.
31:
125:
Aholalo was originally a tradition
Welloyes (people of the Wollo province) practiced in which a male may throw a lime at a woman he is attracted to. If the woman keeps the lime, that means she reciprocates the attraction; if she throws the lime back, that means she is not interested. Additionally, if
177:
hairstyles is much more complex than can be delved into here. However, in order to understand the hairstyles most commonly worn during
Aholalo, you must consider the age demographics participating in this festival. Since the festival’s root is a matchmaking tradition, most of the active participants
259:
fashion, where she sings a line or phrase, and the rest of the girls either repeat, or sing a different line or phrase. This style of song is extremely common throughout Amhara. Below are three short zemoch, the first sung as an insult to cowardly men, the second sung to heroic men, and the third
221:
Wollo is famous for its aromatic plants, and is well-known for a tradition called weyba-chis (Amharic: ወይባ ጭስ). It is a smoke bath using various Wollo-local plants, weyba being extremely common, hence the name. Variations of this culture exist in other places, but none as strong or as famous as
233:
Men in Wollo wear a clothing item called a Shirit (Amharic: ሽርጥ), which is a skirt-like piece that is secured around the waist, or a gildim (Amharic: ግልድም), which is worn similarly, but of a different fabric type and embroidery; the dege (wrapped around the abdomen) and erob (wrapped around
178:
are young, although older women lead the different hizb zemoch (s. hizb zema, Amharic: ህዝብዜማ, translation: “melodies of the people” used to refer to the traditional tunes Amhara is well-known for), among other things. Therefore, one common shuruba (traditional
Habesha
198:
or unbeaded) that is attached to it. This bundle is meant to be positioned from the side, not at the bottom like a regular necklace. Many other jewelry pieces are worn by men and women, including necklaces called gubagub (Amharic: ጉባጉብ) and dimbel (ድምብል), and
238:
etc., as often they adapt the top end of the stick for more utilitarian purposes (i.e., adding a small blade.) Men wear their hair in afros (Amharic: ጎፈሬ), where a small lump of butter is put on top. They also wear
234:
shoulders), are also usually worn with a gildim. Depending on the region, different styles of blades may be worn. The men also carry a stick (mewat dula, Amharic: መዋት ዱላ) that has many purposes, including dances,
193:
from the Wollo region - usually worn by young girls - is called “fessese” (Amharic: ፈሰሴ). It is a necklace that comes in many forms depending on the area in Wollo, but is always characterized by a bundle of ropes
126:
another male throws a lime at her and she keeps it, the two (or more) men must engage in a civilized wrestling match. There are many more traditions practiced during this time, but the
525:
182:
style) is called “asa-seret” (Amharic: አኣ ስሬት). The women also put butter (Amharic: ቅቤ) on their hair, a tradition particularly famous in Wollo.
414:
255:
The women usually all hook arms and form a circle where they slowly rotate while singing. Often, an older woman will lead these songs in a
530:
243:
eyeliner, especially on their bottom eyelid, as well as a dot on their forehead between their brows. Welloye women also have unique face
145:
Many more than simply the following traditions are observed during the
Aholalo festival, but these are among the most central elements.
467:"Documentation and Design Development of Contemporary Women's Collection Through A Study and Analysis of Raya Kobo Traditional Costume"
371:
493:"Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of Ocimum americanum and Ocimum basillicum var. thyrsiflorum"
545:
256:
130:
is at the heart of it all. These traditions evolved into a larger festival, particularly famous in the city
244:
139:
437:
122:, (Amharic: ቤተ አማራ, Ge'ez: ቤተ ዐምሐራ, translation: “House of Amhara”) province of Eastern Amhara.
410:
179:
402:
240:
135:
52:
466:
174:
395:"Customary Dispute Resolution in Amhara Region: The Case of Wofa Legesse in North Shewa"
316:
235:
131:
115:
539:
492:
107:
399:
Grass-roots
Justice in Ethiopia: The Contribution of Customary Dispute Resolution
394:
127:
119:
81:
211:
190:
406:
200:
111:
247:
designs (Amharic: ንቅሳት), which cover their cheeks, chin, and foreheads.
226:(Amharic: ጥጥ) by separating it and having it cling all over their hair.
338:"Bête Amhara: The pre-Oromo Religious and Political Landscape of Wollo"
203:
called ambar (Amharic: ኣምባር) and dekot (Amharic: ድኮት), amongst others.
223:
158:
154:
30:
76:
142:
and Hanan Abdu were also made the cultural ambassadors of Wollo.
195:
372:"Maritu Legesse Appointed Cultural Ambassador of Wollo People"
114:. The festival originates from, and is celebrated in the
16:
Cultural festival celebrated by Amhara people in
Ethiopia
471:
Ethiopian
Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology
345:
497:
International
Journal of Essential Oil Therapeutics
93:
69:
61:
45:
37:
21:
210:There are many tilf (Amharic: ጥልፍ, translation: “
106:(Amharic: ኣሆላሎ) is a festival celebrated in the
153:Lime throwing is also a tradition done during
8:
260:sung as the women are dancing in a circle.
29:
18:
460:
458:
157:, which is a religious holiday famous in
328:
7:
14:
118:(Amharic: ወሎ, formerly known as
531:Ashendiye/Shadey/Solel/Ashenda
1:
465:Solomon Tsegaye (June 2018).
370:Jojo, Joram (Feb 5, 2023).
562:
336:Tadesse Misganaw (2021).
28:
303:ከሰማይ በላይ ሚሌሄ ሀርሽ ነው ሀርሽ
374:. Joram Joro Multemedia
407:10.4000/books.cfee.488
301:አሆሚሌሆ አሆሚሌሄ ያላሄ አሆሚሌሄ
393:Melaku Abate (2008).
307:አሪቲ ገላ ሆምሌ ሎሚ ትንፋሽ።
86:Cultural performance
546:Culture of Ethiopia
292:እራሷን በአደስ አምዳ አምዳ፣
257:"call and response"
149:Matchmaking Process
77:Community gathering
491:Sishu, R. (2010).
442:The British Museum
290:እራሷን በአደስ አምዳዋለች፣
288:የጀግና ወዳጅ ታስታውቃለች፣
279:ባልእንጀሮችህ ገለው ሲመጡ።
275:ሰጠው ለኣባቱ ለቤት ማገር።
271:ሰጣት ለእናቱ ላመድ ማፈሻ።
416:978-99944-808-2-1
273:ወንድ ነኝ ብሎ ተዉሶ ጦር
269:ወንድ ነኝ ብሎ ተዉሶ ጋሻ
173:The intricacy of
101:
100:
553:
513:
512:
510:
508:
488:
482:
481:
479:
477:
462:
453:
452:
450:
448:
434:
428:
427:
425:
423:
390:
384:
383:
381:
379:
367:
361:
360:
358:
356:
342:
333:
305:አሆሚሌሄ ያላሄ አሆሚሌሄ
294:ያላሰበዉን ዶለችው ሄዳ።
277:ምንታደርጋለህ ከሰምበሌጡ
134:(Amharic: ሐይቅ),
53:Amhara, Ethiopia
46:Observed by
33:
19:
561:
560:
556:
555:
554:
552:
551:
550:
536:
535:
526:Timket (Gondar)
522:
517:
516:
506:
504:
490:
489:
485:
475:
473:
464:
463:
456:
446:
444:
436:
435:
431:
421:
419:
417:
392:
391:
387:
377:
375:
369:
368:
364:
354:
352:
340:
335:
334:
330:
325:
313:
306:
304:
302:
300:
293:
291:
289:
287:
285:
278:
276:
274:
272:
270:
268:
266:
253:
232:
220:
209:
188:
172:
167:
151:
89:
57:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
559:
557:
549:
548:
538:
537:
534:
533:
528:
521:
520:External links
518:
515:
514:
483:
454:
429:
415:
385:
362:
327:
326:
324:
321:
320:
319:
317:Wollo Province
312:
309:
252:
249:
166:
163:
150:
147:
140:Maritu Legesse
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
88:
87:
84:
79:
73:
71:
67:
66:
63:
59:
58:
56:
55:
49:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
558:
547:
544:
543:
541:
532:
529:
527:
524:
523:
519:
502:
498:
494:
487:
484:
472:
468:
461:
459:
455:
443:
439:
433:
430:
418:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
389:
386:
373:
366:
363:
350:
346:
339:
332:
329:
322:
318:
315:
314:
310:
308:
299:
295:
284:
280:
265:
261:
258:
250:
248:
246:
242:
237:
231:
227:
225:
219:
215:
213:
208:
204:
202:
197:
192:
187:
183:
181:
176:
171:
164:
162:
160:
156:
148:
146:
143:
141:
137:
133:
129:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
108:Amhara region
105:
96:
92:
85:
83:
80:
78:
75:
74:
72:
68:
64:
60:
54:
51:
50:
48:
44:
40:
38:Official name
36:
32:
27:
20:
505:. Retrieved
500:
496:
486:
474:. Retrieved
470:
445:. Retrieved
441:
432:
420:. Retrieved
398:
388:
376:. Retrieved
365:
353:. Retrieved
351:(2): 275–291
348:
344:
331:
298:ሴቶቹ ክብ ሲሰሩ:
297:
296:
282:
281:
263:
262:
254:
236:self-defence
229:
228:
217:
216:
206:
205:
185:
184:
169:
168:
152:
144:
124:
110:of Northern
103:
102:
70:Celebrations
401:: 107–121.
189:A piece of
136:South Wollo
128:matchmaking
120:Bete Amhara
82:Matchmaking
323:References
286:ሆአሎ ናሆላሎ፣
283:ለጀግና መኩሪያ:
267:ሆአሎ ናሆላሎ፣
264:የፈሪ መሳደብያ:
212:embroidery
165:Adornments
94:Frequency
540:Category
507:April 7,
476:April 7,
447:April 7,
438:"Armlet"
422:April 7,
378:April 7,
355:April 7,
311:See also
207:Dresses:
186:Jewelry:
180:braiding
112:Ethiopia
65:Cultural
22:Aholalo
503:: 65–68
218:Plants:
201:armlets
191:jewelry
175:Habesha
104:Aholalo
41:Aholalo
413:
245:tattoo
224:cotton
196:beaded
159:Gonder
155:Timket
97:Annual
341:(PDF)
251:Songs
170:Hair:
116:Wollo
509:2024
478:2024
449:2024
424:2024
411:ISBN
380:2024
357:2024
241:khul
230:Men:
132:Hayk
62:Type
24:ኣሆላሎ
403:doi
542::
499:.
495:.
469:.
457:^
440:.
409:.
397:.
349:10
347:.
343:.
138:.
511:.
501:4
480:.
451:.
426:.
405::
382:.
359:.
194:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
