Melkam Addis Amet!

Happy Ethiopian New Year!  Or, as they would say, Melkam Addis Amet!  Today brings Ethiopia into the year 2003.

A google search tells me that's because "Ethiopia still retains the Julian calendar, in which the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year. The Ethiopian calendar is 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar from January to September and 7 years behind between September 11 and January 8."

The first day of the Ethiopian new year is called Enkutatash.  And get this -- "Enkutatash means the 'gift of jewels.' When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels."  How fun that the holiday has its roots in the Bible!