Snapshots along with Singing as Ethiopian Citizens Mark Annual Thanksgiving
Countless individuals of vibrantly dressed participants assembled in the heart of the city center for the yearly gratitude celebration over the past days.
The festival is honored by the Oromo people, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, and occurs at the conclusion of the country's primary monsoon period.
Each year, participants gather around revered natural water sources to give thanks to their creators for the lush vegetation that the rains have brought.
"I've attended this celebration for the past nine years," mentioned twenty-five-year-old one attendee.
"For me, Irreecha symbolizes my heritage, it demonstrates the pride and significance of my ethnic group."
Gentlemen, females, the senior citizens and the young all take part, adorned in attention-grabbing clothes and accessories.
They sing, perform traditional dances, tell tales and arrange recently harvested green plants and flowers in the water - symbolizing existence, renewal and aspiration.
International Presence
Irreecha not only draws people from all regions of Ethiopia, guests come from internationally.
"I visited the previous year - the experience was amazing, so magnificent, I brought my offspring with me this year," expressed one visitor, from Northern Ireland.
"It's wonderful. Everyone welcomes you, everyone wants to give you a kiss and says welcome."
Festival Timeline
The first day of the celebration occurred on recently in Addis Ababa. On the following day, festival-goers made their way to Bishoftu, a settlement near the urban center.
Even though Irreecha has its foundations in indigenous faith systems, it is now celebrated by the majority of the Oromo people, irrespective of their faith.
Modern Trends
In the last ten years, the figure of people attending the festival has grown significantly. This is partly due to the rise of social media, where various younger generation capture their attire, dance moves and musical expressions during the gathering.
Previous Background
In the previous years, this event was served as a venue for public dissent - the Oromo people have consistently raised issues about systemic disadvantages.
Nonetheless, the recent event took place calmly, with an priority on happiness, togetherness and heritage appreciation.
