The Ethiopian Flag Day

THE ETHIOPIAN FLAG

Ethiopia is celebrating the 10th National Flag Day on October 16th, 2017 Gregorian calendar ( ጥቅምት 06, 2010 Julian calendar). (Ethiopia has just started its Year 2010 on September 11th, 2017 as it is following the Julian calendar.)

The three basic colors of the Ethiopian Flag are Green (top), Yellow (middle) and Red (bottom).

Green symbolizes the Land.

Ethiopia has a diversified geography with its highest peak of 4,620 meters above sea level (4620 feet asl) at Mount Ras Dashen in the Simien Mountains of Northern Ethiopia, and the lowest point in the African Continent at Dallol (116 meters below sea level or (380 feet bsl) in the Denakil or Afar Depression of North Eastern Ethiopia.

Yellow recalls peace and hope.

Red at the bottom signifies power, strength and blood.

Ethiopia is the only African Nation which was not colonized by the European powers during the Scramble for Africa. At the Battle of Adwa in (March 02, 1896) Ethiopians shed blood to defeat the Fascist Italians led by Emperor Menelik II.

Historically, the Lion of Judah (the emblem of the Royal Solomonic Dynasty) was depicted in the rule of Emperor Menelik II (1887 – 1913) and Emperor Haile Sillassie I (1931 – 1974). Emperor Haile Sillassie I was the last king of the Solomonic Dynasty which legendarily started in the 9th Century BC by Emperor Menelik I (son of the Queen of Sheba of Ethiopia and King Solomon of Jerusalem).

The present Ethiopian Flag has a yellow colored five tip interconnected shining star in the middle with Blue background.

The Star represents the diversity and unity of Ethiopians. Ethiopia shelters more than 100 million people who speak more than 80 different languages together. The official language of Ethiopia called Amharic is the only African official language which has its own alphabets and numbers.

The basic Ethiopian colors are related in the minds of many with Rastafarians who place a central importance on Emperor Haile Sillassie I whose former name was “Ras Teferi” before he came to power in 1931.

There are also many local Ethiopian Orthodox Christians who relate the three colors of the flag with Holy Trinity. Ethiopia is the first sub-Saharan African country to accept and declare Christianity as a state religion in the 4th Century AD (333 AD). The Holy City of Axum in the Northern Ethiopia is believed by Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christianity followers to be the last resting place of the Original Ark of the Covenant.

The fact that Ethiopia was never colonized (or is considered as a symbol of Independence) made many African Nations adopt the Ethiopian (pan-African colors) in their flag after they gain their independence from the European colonizers.

After Dr. Abiy Ahmed took power in April 2018, The Ethiopian Flag Day and Nations and Nationalities Day seems realistic and considerate.

Contact soon to know more and experience Ethiopia yourself!