“It is our identity and we want to express it despite the difficulties we are going through,” Naabali Kahtay told AFP.

The two-year conflict between Ethiopian government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has sparked a humanitarian crisis that has pushed tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in neighboring Sudan and torn families apart.

For Tigrayans in Sudan, the conflict has changed their view of Ashenda and usually marks the end of a 15-day fast known as the Filseta.

Naabali said she lost contact with her family more than a year ago; They remain captive in the Tigrayan capital, Mekele.

“I don’t know if they’re alive or dead.”

In November 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to Tigray to overthrow the TPLF, Tigray’s ruling party, saying the move was in response to the TPLF’s attacks on army camps.

“The celebrations are beautiful, but we can’t be completely happy,” 21-year-old Aziza Moustafa told AFP.

“Celebrating Ashenda means a lot to me,” said Ihab, 18, noting the importance of this tradition, which has been passed down through generations of women.

In the Tigrinya language, Ashenda is a type of tall green grass found on riverbanks in the region. As part of the celebrations, women wear skirts made from the woven Ashenda grass over white cotton dresses with brightly colored embroidery.

“Young girls usually style their hair by doing five cornrow braids to show off their beauty during Ashenda,” Naabali said.

In Khartoum, women played drums to traditional music, many wearing headbands in red and yellow, the colors of the Tigrayan flag. Traditional chicken stew and flatbread were also served to the crowd.

The Tigray conflict has displaced around two million people, but the death toll remains unknown as the region is rocked by a near-total blockade and a communications blackout.

But many still hope for an end to the war.

“Hopefully we can celebrate that in Tigray next year,” Naabali said of the holiday.