Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Traditions and customs in Addis Ababa

5 customs and traditions in Addis Ababa — what they are, and how to take part without causing offence.

Last updated 2026-08-11

1. Coffee ceremony

Green beans roasted, ground and brewed in a jebena in front of you, poured three times.

Watch outAn invitation from a new 'student friend' that ends at a bar with a bill several times the going rate — the ceremony itself is genuine hospitality, the venue is the trap.

2. Eskista

Shoulder dancing — the movement is almost entirely in the shoulders and neck.

3. Timkat

Orthodox Epiphany in January, with processions, tabot replicas and mass baptism.

Best time: 19–20 January

4. Eating from one plate

Injera is shared, torn with the right hand, and feeding a piece to someone else is an act of respect.

5. The Ethiopian calendar

Thirteen months, seven or eight years behind the Gregorian, and the clock starts at dawn.

Tip: Confirm whether a time is 'Ethiopian' or 'European' when booking anything.