Characteristics, And lifestyle of

Ethiopian millennials. and

culture of Ethiopian community
in bringing up the Gen Z group
FACTS ABOUT ETHIOPIA
⇢ Ethiopia, the enthralling land of origins, is in North Eastern Africa and
is home to diverse landscapes, deserts, volcanoes, highlands, and of
course the famous rock-hewn churches.
Ethiopia’s unique combination of culture, deep rooted history and
stunning landscape makes it one of the most intriguing places on earth.
From legendary beliefs to confusing times and dates, here are some
facts about Ethiopia you probably didn’t know about.
⇢ Also nicknamed the “Land of 13 Sunshine’s”, Ethiopia is often
described as one of the most enthralling and enchanting places in the
world – and definitely in Africa.
 It’s the oldest city in Africa
 First founded in 980 BC, Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in
Africa. It is also the second most populated country in Africa with a
population of over 106 million people, making it second to Nigeria.
Ethiopia also stands as the only African country that has never been
colonized.
 ETHIOPIA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WITH A
12-HOUR TIME SYSTEM, COUNTING FROM DAWN TO DUSK
AND FROM DUSK TO DAWN:
 The Time Zone in Ethiopia is the East African Time (EAT).
Ethiopia does not observe daylight saving time. The daytime cycle
begins at dawn which is 6:00am (EAT) and ends at dusk which is
5:59pm (EAT). The night time cycle begins at dusk which is 6:00pm
(EAT) and ends at dawn which is 5:59am (EAT).
 COFFEE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN ETHIOPIA: It is
confirmed that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia and moved
around the world through slave trading and other means. There are
several accounts to exactly how it was discovered. One account is that a
9th century goat herder in Ethiopia noticed how energized his goats
became whenever they fed from a certain bush. This led him to try and
chew the fruits from the bush
 ETHIOPIA USES A 13-MONTH CALENDAR: When the Roman
church adjusted its ancient calendar in 525 AD, Ethiopia did not change
its calendar and so, Ethiopia is seven years behind the Gregorian
calendar. Ethiopia celebrated the new millennium on 11th September,
2007. Ethiopia has 13 months in a year( i.e 12 months with 30 days
each and a 13th month with 5 days in a common year and 6 days in a
leap year). Christmas is celebrated in Ethiopia on January 7th.
 Over 80 languages are spoken in the country
Ethiopia has upwards of 80 languages spoken across its regions, and as
of 2020 it even has five official working languages: Amharic, Afaan
Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali and Afar. English is the most commonly
spoken foreign language, and University classes are all taught in
English.
⇢ I for one am hooked to my laptop and cell phone, and cannot go a day
without using the Internet either for work or personal purposes. I
believe this is true for most Ethiopians my age.
It is hard to imagine a very liberal generation in a country that is deep-
rooted with customs, social norms, and religion. is something
fascinating about a society that has kept its traditional practice for so
long.
⇢ As Ethiopian Millennial I sometimes find it hard to be accepted in a
society that does not prefer to deviate from the norm. It is the sad truth
that we have to do certain things just because it is what is expected in
the culture. Doing your own thing is often considered disrespectful
towards the culture.
⇢ Ethiopia is not a technologically advanced nation compared to the rest
of the world. However, like their peers elsewhere, Ethiopian
Millennials are the first generation that has been exposed to the Internet
at such a young age. Our exposure through social media makes us think
and act differently. This difference is visible even from Ethiopian
Generation X or baby boomers (preceding the generation of
Millennials).
⇢ There are many Ethiopian Millennials who have brought about new
ideas. These concepts have helped the country to be recognized at the
international level, positively. However, because of lack of acceptance
to new ideas in our society I wonder how many Ethiopian Millennials
are hesitant to go beyond the norm in fear of society’s negative
feedback.
⇢ Weddings, burial ceremonies and other gatherings in our society are
held in higher standards. As an Ethiopian Millennial you might have
your different “nontraditional” ideas of how you want these events to
take place. However, you may be discouraged to have it your way
because you don’t want to come across as rude/selfish.
⇢ Growing up we were told to become engineers, doctors or chase after
similar professions. Understandably, we were pressured in these
directions to have a better chance at life. Though, this comes from a
better place it limits the young from taking chances and exploring new
ideas. Given our culture I wonder how many in “Generation Me” are
unable to follow a passion that they aspire to so dearly.
⇢ The Millennial Ethiopian generation, including myself play a double
role. We feel like we have to live by the rules of the society, but then
again due to the time we are at, we question some of our norms. We are
probably the first Ethiopian generation to challenge our customs. This
is may be why we are seen as rebellious and less obedient towards our
elders.
⇢ We have been very blessed to grow up in a community that values
family and friendship. I think that Ethiopian Generation Y has the same
values and esteem for their Ethiopian culture. From where I am
standing “Generation Me” has and will keep the traditions that have
been bestowed upon us by our ancestors intact. Thus, if we have
accepted the past Ethiopia as it was, there is no reason why we can’t
add to our customs and create an even better Ethiopia.
Thank you