Does የቅንቅናም ችጋራም ወለዬ "ባካፋ" saint yared orthodox dance and deptera song has axumite pagan root? ‼️
Posted: 13 May 2026, 20:22
Oh boy 
These are realities ቆምጬ buried even for his own people
እርሱ እንደፍጠረው በዚህን ዝሆን ለማከል ሞክሮብናል
Yes, there is a strong academic and historical consensus that the liturgical music and dance (Aquaquam) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, credited to Saint Yared in the 6th century, is heavily influenced by pre-Christian Aksumite and ancient Nile Valley cultural traditions.
While Yared is credited with Christianizing these forms (i.e., adapting them to biblical themes), the aesthetic elements are deeply indigenous.
Here is why it looks so different and its connections to the past:
1. Pre-Christian Aksumite and Regional Influences
* The "Pagan" Ritual Element: While Yared (505–571 AD) lived after333 AD (when Aksum converted to Christianity), the music and dance incorporated, rather than entirely abolished, pre-existing cultural expressions.
* Sistrum and Drum: The use of the tsenatsil (sistrum) and kebero (drum) in church, which are central to Yared’s music, has roots in ancient Egyptian and indigenous Nubian/Aksumite ritual practices, not the early Roman or Byzantine church.
* Ritual Dance: The Aquaquam (liturgical dance) is an "athletic" style involving rhythmic swaying, stamping, and the use of a prayer stick (mequamia), which scholars argue has roots in earlier Nile Valley traditions.
2. Why it looks "So Different"
* "Holy Spirit" Inspiration: According to Ethiopian tradition, Saint Yared was taken to heaven and taught three modes of chant (Ge'ez, Ezel, and Araray) by angels. This legend highlights that the music was designed to be a unique, divine gift rather than a copy of Western or even Egyptian Church music.
* The Dabtara Tradition: The dabtara (church musicians) who perform this dance and song are trained for years in these specific ancient, rhythmic techniques.
* The Purpose: The music is designed to evoke a "contemplative ecstasy" or a trance-like, out-of-body experience.
3. Synthesis of Old and New
* The Gedle (Biography): The story of Saint Yared suggests he did not start from nothing. He was an Aksumite born to parents who were also from Aksum.
* Old Testament Connection: Many of the chants and the style of praise are inspired by King David's dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, which provides a biblical justification for using "indigenous" energetic dance in a Christian context.
In summary, it is not "pagan" in the sense of worshipping old gods, but it is a synthesized religious art formthat kept the rhythmic, highly expressive, and indigenous musical DNA of the Aksumite civilization, rather than adopting the solemn, low-tempo chanting style of the European church.
These are realities ቆምጬ buried even for his own people
እርሱ እንደፍጠረው በዚህን ዝሆን ለማከል ሞክሮብናል
Yes, there is a strong academic and historical consensus that the liturgical music and dance (Aquaquam) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, credited to Saint Yared in the 6th century, is heavily influenced by pre-Christian Aksumite and ancient Nile Valley cultural traditions.
While Yared is credited with Christianizing these forms (i.e., adapting them to biblical themes), the aesthetic elements are deeply indigenous.
Here is why it looks so different and its connections to the past:
1. Pre-Christian Aksumite and Regional Influences
* The "Pagan" Ritual Element: While Yared (505–571 AD) lived after333 AD (when Aksum converted to Christianity), the music and dance incorporated, rather than entirely abolished, pre-existing cultural expressions.
* Sistrum and Drum: The use of the tsenatsil (sistrum) and kebero (drum) in church, which are central to Yared’s music, has roots in ancient Egyptian and indigenous Nubian/Aksumite ritual practices, not the early Roman or Byzantine church.
* Ritual Dance: The Aquaquam (liturgical dance) is an "athletic" style involving rhythmic swaying, stamping, and the use of a prayer stick (mequamia), which scholars argue has roots in earlier Nile Valley traditions.
2. Why it looks "So Different"
* "Holy Spirit" Inspiration: According to Ethiopian tradition, Saint Yared was taken to heaven and taught three modes of chant (Ge'ez, Ezel, and Araray) by angels. This legend highlights that the music was designed to be a unique, divine gift rather than a copy of Western or even Egyptian Church music.
* The Dabtara Tradition: The dabtara (church musicians) who perform this dance and song are trained for years in these specific ancient, rhythmic techniques.
* The Purpose: The music is designed to evoke a "contemplative ecstasy" or a trance-like, out-of-body experience.
3. Synthesis of Old and New
* The Gedle (Biography): The story of Saint Yared suggests he did not start from nothing. He was an Aksumite born to parents who were also from Aksum.
* Old Testament Connection: Many of the chants and the style of praise are inspired by King David's dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, which provides a biblical justification for using "indigenous" energetic dance in a Christian context.
In summary, it is not "pagan" in the sense of worshipping old gods, but it is a synthesized religious art formthat kept the rhythmic, highly expressive, and indigenous musical DNA of the Aksumite civilization, rather than adopting the solemn, low-tempo chanting style of the European church.