The Kamite New Year

On Saturday, 19.7.2025, several African communities gathered to celebrate the Kamite New Year, a symbol of cultural resilience. "This calendar evokes the antiquity of our civilizations," explained Bayala Lianhoué Imhotep, a pan-African activist. Celebrated in countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Congo, the event embodies a return to African roots. The term "Kamite" is derived from "Kemet," the ancient Egyptian word for "black earth," which has been adopted by Afrocentrists. The Kamite New Year celebrates the beginning of the year according to the Kamite calendar, also called the Nilotic calendar or the Old African calendar. This calendar is one of the oldest known calendars and predates the Arabic and Christian calendars. Here are the key facts about this new year. The Kamite New Year typically falls on July 19 in the Gregorian calendar and marks the beginning of the year 6261 of this ancient calendar. In some sources, it is also associated with the Gregorian 3rd of August (or the Julian 21st of July), which corresponds to the heliacal rising of the star Sirius (Sigi Tolo), an important astronomical event for determining this New Year's day. The Kamitic calendar is based on the observation of the heliacal rising of Sirius, symbolizing a new cycle and the flooding of the Nile, which was fundamental to agriculture in ancient Egypt. It consists of twelve months divided into three seasons of 360 days plus five epagomenal days. Every four years, a sixth day is added to correct the calendar and ensure its consistency with the sidereal cycles. The celebration of the Kamitic New Year is an act of cultural and spiritual appreciation and underlines the antiquity and richness of sub-Saharan African civilizations. The Kamitic movement emphasizes that its calendar is the origin of other calendar systems and demands its official recognition, so every July 19th is a cultural holiday, similar to January 1st in the Gregorian calendar. In the Kamitic language (borrowed from ancient Egypt), this day is called Wepet Renpet (New Year), and the rising of Sirius is called Peret Sopdet (departure of Sirius). In addition to the New Year celebration, the Kamites maintain annual rites related to their deities and the legacy of ancient Egyptian civilization (Kemitism), including festivals honoring gods and ancestors. The Kamite New Year is a powerful cultural event celebrating the ancient African calendar, centered on the rising of Sirius. It symbolizes an important annual historical and cultural renewal for the Kamites and African communities committed to restoring their heritage. @https://afrique.le360.ma/culture/mali-les-kamites-celebrent-la-6261eme-annee-de-leur-calendrier-le-1er-de-lhumanite_LLHJQVNUPNCC5DMODOHALZE5V4 @https://kamademia.com/le-calendrier-kemite-africain @https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A9mitisme