The couples were dressed in traditional white robes and took to the streets dancing and singing. Ethiopians from all over the country came to the capital for the ceremony.
They include Yakob Tesfaye and Lidet Tagel, both 21 and from the western region of Gambella. “It is a huge opportunity to see all the peoples from the different regions and also to get sponsorship, because we don’t have enough money for a wedding,” he said.
The mass wedding is an initiative of Yament Private Limited and TV channel EBC. They had indicated in advance that they wanted to revive the tradition, after years of decline that was further accelerated by the pandemic. “We started again because we want to draw attention to our traditional culture and marriage customs,” says initiator Hawi Tilahun.