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At the end of each winter, the Oromo people of Ethiopia gather to celebrate the end of what is generally perceived as a difficult season and the beginning of a new and abundant season with a thanksgiving festival, Irreecha.
As the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Oromo people thank God (Waaqa) at the beginning of spring (Birraa) after a long dark and rainy winter season that runs from July to September each year.
For them, winter is a bitter and difficult time because the rains often wreak havoc on their community as rivers rise and people, livestock and crops drowned in floods.
Families are also unable to meet regularly in the winter because the river’s floods and floods make travel almost impossible.
Sadly, some families go through a period of famine this season because their supplies at the beginning of the year ran out and the new crops are not ready for harvest either. Then there is the outbreak of diseases like malaria due to stagnant water and puddles from constant rains.
This does not mean that the Oromo do not enjoy winter at all or hate the rain because there are times when the seasons change and rain is scarce. Then they pray to Waaqa for it to rain.
Irreecha, also called, Irreessa brings together families, friends, relatives and the whole community to socialize and it is a time to appreciate the essence of togetherness and also to welcome the abundant harvest season also known as Biiraa or spring.
The families thank Waaqa for ending the winter famine because they can now harvest their barley, wheat, potatoes and other crops and eat to their satisfaction without having to ration meals.
This year, the celebrations weren’t as big as they are each year and the number of attendees was limited to roughly 5,000 people due to security protocols and the current coronavirus pandemic.
Traditionally, Irreecha festivals are held in the town of Bishoftu, Oromia, about 50 km southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the first Oromo prime minister to take office in 2018, for the first time last year, allowed people to celebrate the festival in Addis Abba and the turnout was impressive.
This year, two celebrations were held, one on Saturday in Addis Ababa and the other on the traditional grounds of the city of Bishoftu on Sunday.
On the same day of the celebrations, a small group of people were led into pools of water in Addis Ababa by Oromo leaders who were seen singing. They then proceeded to perform a symbolic ritual of gratitude and renewal of the season by dipping flowers into the water and sprinkling the water on themselves.
Some say the reduced celebrations this year are a tactic by the ruling government to suppress possible demonstrations due to the country’s political division and unrest. Some opposition Oromo politicians are in jail and government security forces have reportedly used “heavy-handed tactics” against people in the Oromo region, not far from the capital.
“When people come together, they may reflect on what is wrong with the country. For fear of that, they have restricted us. What the government is doing is not right, ”said Jatani Bonaya, a 26-year-old student, over the weekend.
However, Prime Minister Ahmed claimed that the restrictions were based purely on the safety of the people and not to prevent anti-government protests.
He wished Ethiopians the best as they marked the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the booming harvest season in a statement released Friday urging his people to learn from their past to propel them towards a better future. .
“Irreechaa is a celebration of thanksgiving, forgiveness, hope and unity. Taking a lesson from yesterday, let’s be united to make tomorrow a better day, ”he said.
The tourism ministry is looking for ways to preserve this sacred Thanksgiving festival as it intends to pass the festival on to the next generation without having to lose any of its sentimental assets or values.
In light of this, authorities are working to register the Irreecha festival with UNESCO, the Ethiopian News Agency reported. All necessary procedures have been followed to ensure this is done and Ethiopian leaders expect a favorable response from UNESCO.
According to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Hirut Kassaw, “All criteria are met and the study has been completed. Therefore, we are waiting for them to register Irreecha as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage ”.
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