Amharic Calendar: Living Thirteen Months of Sunshine
By: Chimdindu Ken-Anaukwu
If you have ever heard Ethiopians proudly say they live in a different year, believe them. The Ethiopian calendar is one of the world’s few remaining ancient timekeeping systems that is still fully alive. It runs on its own rhythm, its own beauty, and its own sunshine. Quite literally. Ethiopians say they have thirteen months of sunshine, and they mean all thirteen.
Welcome to a journey into a calendar that refuses to be ordinary.
The Structure of the Ethiopian Calendar
Most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar. Ethiopia uses the Ethiopian calendar, known locally as E.C. It is seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar due to differences in calculating the birth year of Jesus.
The Ethiopian calendar has:
Twelve months of exactly thirty days each
One extra month of five days (six days in a leap year)
This thirteenth month is called Pagumē, and it is the source of the famous saying "thirteen months of sunshine." This bonus month keeps the Ethiopian year perfectly aligned with the solar cycle.
The 13 Months of the Ethiopian Year
Here are the months in order, with their approximate Gregorian equivalents:
Meskerem — September to October
Tikimt — October to November
Hidar — November to December
Tahisas — December to January
Tir — January to February
Yekatit — February to March
Megabit — March to April
Miyazia — April to May
Ginbot — May to June
Sene — June to July
Hamle — July to August
Nehasse — August to September
Pagume — The 5 or 6 extra days that complete the solar year
The New Year: Enkutatash
Ethiopians celebrate New Year on Meskerem 1, which falls on September 11 (or September 12 in a Gregorian leap year).
The holiday is called Enkutatash, meaning "gift of jewels." The name comes from an ancient tradition. When the Queen of Sheba returned from her legendary visit to King Solomon, her chiefs welcomed her back with lavish gifts of jewels. Ethiopians have carried that spirit of giving forward for centuries.
How Amharic Speakers Celebrate Enkutatash
Enkutatash is a season of joy, renewal, and beauty. Here is what makes it special:
1. The blooming of Adey Abeba
Early September marks the blooming of a bright yellow flower called Adey Abeba. Children pick these flowers and present them to their parents, teachers, and neighbors as symbols of hope and new beginnings.
2. Children’s songs
Groups of children go door to door singing traditional New Year songs. They receive small gifts or money in return. Their voices carry the celebratory mood across towns and villages.
3. Family feasts
Families prepare dishes like doro wat, injera, and tibs. Everyone gathers to eat, laugh, and welcome the new year with gratitude.
4. Church services
Many people attend early morning church services to pray for blessings, peace, and prosperity in the new year.
5. Clean homes and new beginnings
Houses are cleaned from top to bottom. Everyone dresses in fresh, beautiful habesha kemis or netela. It is a moment to reset life with intention.
Seasons and Culture Through the Amharic Calendar
The Ethiopian calendar is based on the ancient Alexandrian calendar used by early Christians. Its perfect symmetry comes from mathematical precision rather than political adjustments.
Each of the twelve months has thirty days. Pagumē completes the solar year by adding five or six days, making the calendar naturally stable and closely aligned with the seasons.
Ethiopians are proud of this. It is not just a calendar. It is a cultural identity.
Why Does Ethiopia Have Thirteen Months?
The Ethiopian year has its own seasonal rhythm, deeply tied to agriculture and community life:
Kiremt (rainy season): June to September, bringing life for crops
Tsedey (spring season): October and November, bright and warm
Bega (dry season): December to March, crisp and cool
Belg (small rainy season): April and May, refreshing the land
Festivals, planting seasons, harvest periods, and cultural events all follow the Ethiopian calendar. Amharic speakers grow up seeing time not as a straight line but as a repeating cycle of blessings, work, celebration, and renewal.
How Time Is Told in Ethiopia
Ethiopians also tell time differently. The day begins at what many countries call 6 AM. What the rest of the world calls 7 AM is simply one o’clock in Ethiopian time. This system aligns the hours with the natural sunrise and sunset, making everyday life feel more intuitive.
Why the Ethiopian Calendar Matters
The Ethiopian calendar has survived thousands of years without losing its soul. It is a symbol of:
Independence
Cultural pride
Continuity with ancient traditions
Resistance to colonial influence
For Amharic speakers, the calendar is not just a tool. It is a celebration of who they are.
Final Thoughts
The world often encourages uniformity. Ethiopia chose identity. The Amharic calendar with its thirteen months of sunshine reminds us that time itself can be a cultural treasure. A way of life. A story carried from ancestors to children.
Next time you meet someone from Ethiopia and they tell you they are in a different year, smile. They are not behind. They simply walk in their own sunlight.