Irreecha: Selfies and singing as Ethiopia's Oromo people celebrate thanksgiving
Key Takeaways
- Tens of thousands of Ethiopians celebrated the annual Irreecha thanksgiving festival in Addis Ababa and Bishoftu.
- Irreecha is celebrated by the Oromo ethnic group to thank their creators for the greenery brought by the end of the rainy season.
- The celebration involves singing, dancing, sharing stories, and placing flowers in water to symbolize life and renewal.
- Attendance has increased significantly in the past decade, drawing international visitors, partly due to social media documentation.
- This year's festival unfolded peacefully with an emphasis on joy and cultural pride, contrasting with past uses as a platform for anti-government protests.
Tens of thousands of vibrantly dressed Ethiopians descended on Addis Ababa and Bishoftu this weekend to celebrate Irreecha, the annual thanksgiving festival of the Oromo ethnic group. The festival marks the end of the main rainy season, where participants gather near sacred waters to thank their creators for the resulting greenery. Attendees, ranging from the young to the elderly, wear eye-catching clothes and participate in singing, dancing, and placing flowers in water as a symbol of hope and renewal. The event has seen dramatically increased attendance in the last decade, partly fueled by social media documentation, and attracts people from around the world. While Irreecha has historically been a platform for expressing grievances against marginalization, this year's celebration was marked by joy, unity, and cultural pride, unfolding peacefully. The festival, rooted in indigenous faith, is now observed by the majority of Oromos regardless of their current religion.
