መቀነት (meqenet) is a traditional Ethiopian fabric belt, sash, or waistband, woven from cotton and often decorated with vibrant, colorful patterns called tilat. Traditionally worn by women wrapped tightly around the waist over the Habesha kemis, it has always been more than an accessory. It's a general belt, a girdle, a cincture — something that holds and secures.

But for Ethiopian women, መቀነት carries a meaning that goes far beyond fabric.