Ethiopia 2026 – AFP

Young women danced, sang and took selfies in traditional dress at the Ashenda celebrations in Addis Ababa on Saturday, trying to preserve a moment of joy as fears of renewed war grow in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.

Ashenda is an annual festival dedicated to women and girls, celebrated after the two-week Filseta fast observed in honour of the Virgin Mary. While the main public celebration at Mekelle’s stadium was cancelled amid fears of further drone strikes, members of the Tigrayan community gathered at the Addis Ababa Convention Center.

For the occasion, women wore embroidered traditional dresses, elaborate braided hairstyles and gold jewellery. Their collective dances and songs are central to Ashenda, offering women and girls a public space to celebrate their identity, femininity and connection to Tigrayan culture.

Several women said they had not returned to Tigray for a long time, while others would normally have travelled to Mekelle for the festival but decided not to go this year. Drone strikes hit Mekelle just days before the celebration, wounding at least 13 people, including children, and adding to fears that conflict could erupt again.

In Addis Ababa, the women tried to smile, dance and enjoy the evening, but attendance was lower than expected and the uncertainty surrounding relatives still living in Tigray weighed heavily over the celebrations.