Global InformationAholalo information
| Aholalo ኣሆላሎ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Official name | Aholalo |
| Observed by |
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| Type | Cultural |
| Celebrations |
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| Frequency | Annual |
Aholalo (Amharic: ኣሆላሎ) is a festival celebrated in the Amhara region of Northern Ethiopia. The festival originates from, and is celebrated in the Wollo (Amharic: ወሎ, formerly known as “Bete-Amhara,” [Amharic: ቤተ አማራ, Ge'ez: ቤተ ዐምሐራ, translation: “House of Amhara”])[1] province of Eastern Amhara.
Aholalo was originally a tradition Welloyes (people of the Wollo province) practised 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 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 practised during this time, but the matchmaking is at the heart of it all. These traditions evolved into a larger festival, particularly famous in the city Hayk (Amharic: ሐይቅ), South Wollo. Maritu Legesse and Hanan Abdu were also made the cultural ambassadors of Wollo.[2]
Many more than simply the following traditions are observed during the Aholalo festival, but these are among the most central elements.
- ^ Tadesse Misganaw (2021). "Bête Amhara: The pre-Oromo Religious and Political Landscape of Wollo" (PDF). Journal of Afroasiatic Languages, History and Culture. 10 (2): 275–291. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
- ^ Jojo, Joram (Feb 5, 2023). "Maritu Legesse Appointed Cultural Ambassador of Wollo People". Joram Joro Multemedia. Retrieved April 7, 2024.