No one was on stage except for those who were setting up and doing sound checks. We continued playing Dutch Blitz when the power went off, for the third time in the day. This time we were in the dark so we scrambled and lit candles and continued to play. One can play by candlelight but the blues and greens become harder to distinguish in the semi-darkness. Finally we gave up and decided to get ready for bed. Of course just as everyone was settling in bed the lights came on! So the girls read a bit in bed and so did Wanda and I before turning in.
There was a loud BOOM in the darkness and suddenly there was screaming and shouting. It sounded like an army of noisemakers had surrounded our compound in the dark night, in Addis . . . in Africa . . . I jumped out of bed, disoriented, looked out into a smoky compound. I looked at the clock, midnight, of course. I went down and turned on the TV where ETV was showing what seemed like an endless fireworks show and more people screaming and shouting. So the New Year was ushered in, the New Millennium in the Ethiopian calendar as well.
What is happening here? Here is one article from the VOA (Voice of America):
"Ethiopia is set to celebrate the arrival of the third millennium more than seven years after it was celebrated in the west. Events are planned, across the country, as well as in several American cities, where there are large concentrations of Ethiopian expatriates. But, as VOA Correspondent Peter Heinlein reports from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the celebrations in the capital have been sharply scaled back because of security fears and factional squabbles.
"Traffic grinds to a halt on one of Addis Ababa's busiest thoroughfares, as young boys snapping their homemade whips hurry a herd of goats across the road on their way to slaughter. It is the final journey for these animals, most of whom will find their way to dinner tables as families across Ethiopia gather to celebrate the dawn of the third millennium.
"Ethiopians proudly follow the Julian calendar, which puts the birth of Christ seven and a half years later than the more commonly followed Gregorian calendar. Ethiopia's Christian Orthodox leaders note that it was the Roman church that amended the calendar, about 15 centuries ago, while they stuck with the original calculation. Addis is decked out in its finest for the occasion. The government has strung kilometers of colorful lights along Bole Road. Ethiopia's wealthiest man is building a concert hall at one end of the street for the occasion. He is planning to open it New Year's Eve, with a grand concert featuring the American hip hop group, the Black Eyed Peas.
"Days before the opening, construction crews are working feverishly, day and night, to finish the job. But political disputes and high costs have put a damper on many of the observances. Many citizens complain the cost of a ticket to the concert is nearly twice the average worker's monthly salary. And, a 10-kilometer Millennium Run that had attracted 35,000 entrants was canceled, because of security concerns. Ethiopian Culture Minister Mohammed Dirir notes the tense relations with neighboring Eritrea. He says the government is worried about the threat of terrorism.
"'We know that there is the government of Eritrea, which has, in the past, been sending disruptors and arming them with bombs and what have you,' said Dirir. 'These have been apprehended and it has been all over the media. I think security is tight.' A schedule of free events, including an open-air concert and a Taste of Africa food festival, had been planned at the city's Meskel Square, but most of them died in the planning stage. Culture Minister Dirir says the events were stopped because the organizers failed to coordinate plans with the government's Millennium Secretariat. 'Let me tell you about the noise of the Taste of Africa, or the lack of taste of Africa,' said Dirir. 'They have been working with the Millennium Council and, if they do not work with the concerned body and take an independent course of their own, that is a failure. The Millennium Council has advised them to make it as part of the overall events, but they wanted to go the wrong way. They have failed.'
"The confusion and political wrangling have led many who can afford it to go elsewhere for celebrations. Several leaders of Ethiopia's main political opposition party have made a point of flying to American cities, where communities of Ethiopian expatriates are planning elaborate parties.
"And, with the many of the planned events in Addis canceled, many ordinary citizens are planning to be out of town for the holiday. The owner of the Meskel Square cinema, movie producer Theodros Teshome, told VOA he is closing up the theater on New Year's Eve and sponsoring a rival celebration in his hometown, Jimma, 200 kilometers away. That event will feature Ethiopia's biggest homegrown music star, Teddy Afro. 'I will be celebrating the millennium in Jimma,' said Teshome. 'I will have the first fireworks ever made out of Addis Ababa, in Jimma. And, I'm taking the king of music in Ethiopia, Teddy Afro to Jimma, so my millennium is going to be the best millennium in Ethiopia.'
"But Teshome says, despite people's frustration with their government, Ethiopians are united in their hope that this new millennium will bring with it the promise of prosperity and a better life for the common people. 'The millennium is bringing hope that we will no more be a poor country; that we will no more be thought of as one of the countries that's not yet developed; and we are seeing a lot of development with the arrival of this government, so we are really excited,' said Teshome.
"But, on the streets of Addis, that excitement is somewhat muted. Many people -- perhaps following the government's security concerns -- say they are planning quiet celebrations at home with their family and, perhaps, the traditional Ethiopian lamb dinner." [end of article]
There are other articles to be found on the Internet as well. The BBC has both articles on the millennium celebrations last night and photos. Check them out. They are pretty good. The Washington Post and NY Times both did articles as well.
We did go out yesterday and will go out again today or tomorrow to take photos of decorations around the city.
I was out yesterday but the camera battery went dead after a couple of photos, so the most I could do was look as we passed by many photographic opportunities. Double decker tour buses driving through the center of town with the top open, people standing and waving on top, music blaring from the bus, balloons tied to the inside. Herds of sheep being pushed through town by shepherds to be sold on street corners. Large reddish-brownish bulls to be bought and sold. Red chickens as well (red is a common theme. Because the devil’s color is red, tradition is that it is good to kill a red chicken and thus drive out the devil). Our office staff is off today and tomorrow. Bingham Academy originally scheduled the students to be out Tuesday noon and Wednesday but something, or someone, prevailed upon the Powers-That-Be and everyone now has Thursday and Friday off as well. So we will need to go back to our summer schedule with the girls.
Fortunately it is beginning to feel like summer, i.e. the rainy season appears to finally be fading away. The rainy days won’t be banished completely, we are told, until the end of September. But in the meantime it is good to see more and more sunshine each day.
So, as westerners, we get to celebrate two of everything here in Ethiopia where east and west collide; two New Years, two Millenniums, two Christmas’, two Easters. Any excuse to eat good food and fellowship together with others. Happy New Year 2000 everyone!
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