Photos and Singing as Ethiopian Citizens Celebrate Annual Thanksgiving
Tens of thousands of colorfully attired attendees gathered in the heart of Ethiopia's capital for the yearly thanksgiving festival over the past days.
This thanksgiving celebration is honored by the Oromo, the predominant community, and takes place at the completion of the country's major wet season.
Each year, celebrants gather around revered rivers and lakes to give thanks to their divine beings for the greenery that the rains have brought.
"I've attended Irreecha for the last nine years," mentioned young adult one attendee.
"To me, Irreecha embodies my cultural background, it showcases the pride and greatness of my ethnic group."
Men, females, the senior citizens and the youth all participate, ornamented in attention-grabbing clothes and accessories.
They sing, dance, tell tales and arrange newly gathered foliage and blossoms in the water - denoting existence, renewal and optimism.
Global Participation
The celebration does not only attract individuals from across Ethiopia, visitors fly in from globally.
"I visited last year - the experience was amazing, so beautiful, I brought along my children with me currently," mentioned one visitor, from Northern Ireland.
"It is amazing. Everybody welcomes you, each person offers affection and expresses hospitality."
Celebration Schedule
The opening day of the festival was held on the weekend in Addis Ababa. On the next day, celebrants travelled to a nearby town, a community just outside the urban center.
While Irreecha has its foundations in indigenous faith systems, it is now observed by the majority of the Oromo people, irrespective of their belief system.
Modern Changes
In the last ten years, the number of individuals attending the festival has expanded substantially. This is partly due to the rise of digital platforms, where various youth capture their attire, traditional dances and musical expressions during the festival.
Historical Background
In the earlier times, the festival was served as a stage for anti-government protests - the ethnic group have historically expressed concerns about political and economic marginalisation.
However, the recent event took place calmly, with an priority on joy, solidarity and ethnic identity.
