The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church uses a type of Christian liturgical chant known as “Ethiopian liturgical chant,” or Zema. The term melekket refers to the associated musical notation. The custom, which dates back to after the sixth century, is associated with Saint Yared. Ethiopian liturgical chants have evolved historically in a manner akin to that of European liturgical chants.
In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church liturgical language, Zema is a pleasant sound, song, or melody. Ethiopian liturgical chants are a musical heritage that are attributed to Saint Yared. Yared, who lived in the sixth century, is credited with creating the first examples of liturgical music and musical notation in indigenous Ethiopia. He created three new chanting techniques. They go by the names geeze, ezil, and ararai. Ethiopian liturgical chants are authentic and divine in character, as confirmed by the Ethiopian Church’s Synaxarium. Ethiopia was Christianized at the time Yared lived, around the start of the sixth century. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church already had a collection of prayers at that time. Only then did Ethiopian religious chants come to be. Ethiopian antiphons, such as the Book of Deggua, date from the latter part of the 16th century and are somewhat later in origin. Since the fourth century, the majority of the Ethiopian Highlands have been Miaphysite Christians. The ancient sung liturgy from that era is still observed, with the congregation joining in with clapping, ululation, and rhythmic dances.
