Women's Cultural Festivals and Peacebuilding: Examining Ashenda, Shaday, and Solel in Ethiopia's Fragile Peace

Abstract

The Ashenda, Shaday, and Solel festivals, celebrated annually in late August across northern Ethiopia, represent a distinctive cultural heritage that intertwines religious devotion, seasonal transition, and communal celebration. This article examines the religious, astronomical, and peacebuilding dimensions of these interconnected festivals, drawing on ethnographic literature, historical accounts, and contemporary media reports. The festivals mark the conclusion of the Filseta fast, a 16-day observance commemorating the Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, while simultaneously heralding the end of the rainy season and the approach of harvest. This dual anchoring in liturgical and astronomical rhythms establishes the festivals as moments of renewal, transition, and hope. The article further analyzes how the festivals serve as public platforms for expressing aspirations for peace, particularly in the context of post-conflict northern Ethiopia, where the 2026 cancellation of the Mekelle gathering due to drone attack fears underscored the fragility of peace. The festivals' focus on women and girls provides a culturally grounded mechanism for women's empowerment and peacebuilding, challenging patriarchal norms and fostering leadership skills among participants. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of liminality, cultural peacebuilding, and social capital, the article argues that the Ashenda festivals function as "peace indicators" whose occurrence signals the state of peace, while also serving as vehicles for social cohesion, resilience, and community renewal. The article concludes with a framework for institutional responsibilities and community roles essential for translating the festivals' symbolic peace aspirations into tangible, lasting peace.