In brief
This weekend, tens of thousands of Ethiopians gathered in downtown Addis Ababa for the Irreecha festival, an annual thanksgiving celebration by the Oromo people. The festival marks the end of the rainy season, where attendees express gratitude for nature’s bounty, dressed in traditional attire, singing, dancing, and sharing stories. Highlighted by unity and pride, this year's festival also saw a remarkable increase in participation, partly fueled by social media.
Tens of thousands of vibrantly dressed Ethiopians descended on downtown Addis Ababa for an annual thanksgiving festival this weekend.
Irreecha is celebrated by the Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, and takes place at the end of the country's main rainy season.
Each year, festival-goers gather around sacred rivers and lakes to thank their creators for the greenery that the rains have brought. 'I've been celebrating Irreecha for the past nine years,' 25-year-old Moata Abdulmajid said. 'To me, Irreecha represents my identity, it reflects the pride and greatness of my people.'
Men, women, the elderly, and the young all join in, adorned in eye-catching clothes and jewelry. They sing, dance, share stories, and place freshly cut grass and flowers in water - a symbol of life, renewal, and hope.
The Irreecha festival draws not only locals but also attendees from around the world. 'I came last year - it was so good, so beautiful, I brought my children with me this year,' remarked Claire from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The gathering focuses on joy, unity, and cultural pride.
This year’s festival unfolded peacefully, marking a positive shift from the past when Irreecha was a platform for protests against political marginalization faced by the Oromo people. Today, it stands as a celebration of resilience and beauty in cultural expression.
