---
title: "Fichee-Chambalaalla in Ethiopia | Taste of Ethiopia"
description: "Explore Fichee-Chambalaalla in Ethiopia: its date, meaning and traditions, with a live countdown and cultural guide from Taste of Ethiopia."
url: "https://testofethiopiarestaurant.com.au/events/fichee-chambalaalla"
---

Sidama New Year and UNESCO heritage

# Fichee-Chambalaalla

The Sidama New Year renews family ties through greetings, counsel, dancing and the sharing of buurisame.

Date announcement pending

Set each year by Sidama ayyaantu elders

![A large Sidama community gathering for Fichee-Chambalaalla in Hawassa](https://testofethiopiarestaurant.com.au/assets/events/fichee.webp)

Photo: [Kebede Asefa, CC BY-SA 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fichchee-_The_New_Year_of_Sidama-_The_Sidama_people_celebrate_the_festival_en_mass_in_their_sacred_place_called_Gudumale_which_is_located_on_the_beautiful_city_of_Hawassa-_2013-12-18_17-37.jpg)

CALENDAR NOTE

The date is determined and announced each year by Sidama ayyaantu elders using the community's traditional calendar. A countdown appears once an official date is known.

[View the full cultural calendar](https://testofethiopiarestaurant.com.au/events)

01 · MEANING

## What it means.

Fichee-Chambalaalla recalls a married Sidama woman who returned each year to visit her family, bringing buurisame to share with relatives and neighbours. The story makes reunion and generosity central to the New Year.

02 · TRADITION

## How it is marked.

Children greet neighbours on the first day and are offered buurisame, made from enset, milk and butter. Elders give guidance, disputes are settled and communities gather for song and dance.

03 · EXPERIENCE

## What you may see.

Hawassa and Sidama communities are the heart of the celebration. It is intergenerational and open to all members of the community, with food and oral teaching carrying the tradition forward.

[Next in the cultural year **Eid al-Fitr**](https://testofethiopiarestaurant.com.au/events/eid-al-fitr)

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