Ethiopia's culture is unique in Africa, with influences from Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as traditional local folklore that combine between the Kingdom of Abyssinia and ancient Yemen and the Kingdom of Solomon the Wise.
Folk Dances
The dance of people in Amhara region (Northern Ethiopia) is called “Eskesta” which has unique movement of neck, shoulder and chest. There are several variations of motion and steps according to areas such as Gondar, Gojjam, and Wollo.
Folk Music
Traditional Ethiopian music is based on a pentatonic scale with asymmetrical rhythms which in the 'golden age' of the 1960s and early 1970s combined with contemporary Western styles to create the thrilling hybrid known as 'Ethio-jazz'.
Traditional Instruments
The most characteristic and widely used instruments are the masinko, the krar, and in the church mostly useful washint, begena, kebero, and the tom-tom.
Folk Art
Ethiopian art has traditionally reflected Christian themes and often still does, but many artists explore other themes as well. The Ethiopian people also make art and crafts such as colourful baskets and textiles. Another important form of Ethiopian art, also related to Coptic styles, is crosses made from wood and metal. They are usually copper alloy or brass, plated (at least originally) with gold or silver.
Cuisine
Shiro be Kibbe, is the most popular cuisine - a red, saucy legume or lentil stew combining ground split pea, chickpeas, and a spiced butter. Kitfo- an Ethiopian beef tartare: ground raw beef mixed with a spiced butter. The foundation of the vast majority of Ethiopian meals is injera, a giant gray spongy pancake-like bread, upon whose strangely rubbery surface are served an array of foods, including multicolored mounds of spicy stews, vegetable curries and cubes of raw meat. Wot is Ethiopia's version of curry.
Language
Although now it is only one of the five official languages of Ethiopia, together with Oromo, Somali, Afar, and Tigrinya - until 2020 Amharic was the only Ethiopian working language of the federal government. Amharic is the most widely spoken and written language in Ethiopia.