Traditional cultural celebrations in Ethiopia play a crucial role in preserving the country’s rich cultural heritage, fostering social cohesion, and contributing to national unity. They show the multi-faceted spiritual culture of united people of Ethiopia and the wonders of their age old intangible heritage.
Traditional cultural celebrations in the country need to be documented and researched in the manner that they can be used for promoting the country’s tourism industry.
Celebrations like Irreecha, Meskel, Timkat, and Enkutatash are essential for keeping Ethiopia’s diverse traditions alive, passing them down from generation to generation. They reflect the values, beliefs, and identity of the various ethnic groups in the country These festivals bring people together, regardless of ethnic, religious, or political differences, reinforcing a sense of community and shared identity. They help promote peace and understanding among Ethiopia’s many ethnic groups.
Traditional festivals often attract tourism, both locally and internationally. This boosts local economies by providing opportunities for artisans, vendors, and hospitality businesses to thrive during these celebrations.
Many of Ethiopia’s traditional celebrations have religious significance, offering spiritual renewal and the opportunity for individuals and communities to reflect on their moral and ethical values.
Traditional festivals serve as a platform for promoting Ethiopia’s image globally, showcasing its deep-rooted cultural and historical legacy, and attracting international attention.
These cultural practices are not just celebrations but serve as a bridge between the past and present, keeping Ethiopia’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious heritage vibrant.
One of the most important cultural festivals in Ethiopia take place in the month of September relating to New Year cultural festivals. For instance the celebrations of Fitchee Chambalala among the Sidama people, Gifaata celebrations among the Wolayita people, Misillelaa celebrations among Kambata people, Heboo among the Yem people, Yahoodi Meskela among the Hadiya.
These celebrations vividly depict the colorful traditional costumes among the ethnic groups, their traditional cuisines which is enjoyed during the celebrations.
In a couple of days, the people of Ethiopia, the Oromo people in particular are going to celebrate the Oromo festival of Irrecha. The author of this article dedicates the current contribution to this festival which is celebrated by millions across the country.
Irreecha is a significant cultural and religious festival celebrated by the Oromo people of Ethiopia, typically held in September or October. Also known as the Thanksgiving Festival, it is a time for the Oromo to give thanks to Waaqa (God) for blessings, harvests, and peace (naaga) after the rainy season. Traditionally, the festival is celebrated at Hora Harsadi near Bishoftu, but it has expanded to other places, including Addis Ababa at Hora Finfine
The rituals of Irreecha involve people gathering around a body of water, such as a river or lake, to offer prayers and thanks. They often carry grass and flowers, which symbolize peace and prosperity, and dip them in water, offering them to Waaqa.
The festival also fosters unity (Tokkuma), peace (naaga) and reconciliation (arrarra) The festival is celebrated every year at the beginning of Birraa (Spring), the new season after the dark and rainy winter season, at sacred lakes across Oromia and particularly at Hora Harsadi, Bishoftu, 45 kms south of Addis Ababa. The name Irreechaa itself indicates ‘green and fresh grass’.
More than a million people have attended Irreechaa in Bishoftu in recent years, and it makes for a fascinating and colorful carnival, with a wonderful atmosphere, with men and women dressed in their traditional clothes dancing and singing.
Irreecha has grown in significance beyond its religious roots and is now seen as a symbol of Oromo identity and cultural pride. The festival serves as a time of reflection, joy, and community celebration and peace for the Oromo people and the people of Ethiopia at large.
Irrecha or Irressa also known as Irrrecha Melka and Irrecha Tulu is a traditional Oromo thanksgiving celebrated every year at the bank of a river in the case of Irrecha Melka and on a hill top in the case of Irrecha Tulu.
While Irreecha Melka is celebrated right at the end of the regular rainy season, Irrecha Tulu is marked in the Ethiopian spring or Birra.
Irreecha is based on the traditional thanksgiving event to the Waka or Wakayo who is believed to create the heavens and the earth. The Oromos thank the Waka for good harvest, promotion of family human and soil fertility and livestock health and primarily for peace in their communities.
As it has been reportedly celebrated among the Oromos for thousands of years, the traditional cultural celebration of Irrecha certainly precedes the introduction of institutionalized religions like Christianity, Islam and other religious institutions in the country.
To date, Irreecha continued to be celebrated annually at Hora Arsedi close to Bishoftu town about 45 kms, from Addis Ababa and this year it is marked in Addis Ababa for the second time. Men, women and even children are attired in their traditional white cultural dresses which depicts that Irreecha is a celebration of peace.
Led by the Aba Gedas and the Aba Melakas Oromos carry bunches of fresh green grass and majestically march to the riverside or lake accompanied with traditional songs, dances and ululations which clearly depicts thanksgiving to the.
Irreecha is a platform of peace, love and unity where prayers and thanks are offered to Waaqa. Irreecha is not a forum of political agenda promotion and a place of violence but the incident of the 2016 Irreecha celebrations is a tragic reminder of a shameful mix-up of thanksgiving with politics.
The Oromo celebrate Irreecha not only to thank Waaqa (God) but also to welcome the new season of plentiful harvests after the dark and rainy winter season.
In thanksgiving-Irreecha, the Qaalluus (spiritual leaders) and the Abbaa Malkaas (lineal chiefs of the areas) are at the top hierarchies. The Qaalluus give religious instructions and directives of the where-about and the time of the implementation of the rituals.
Furthermore, in the Irreecha ritual ceremony, the Abbaa Malkaas and Abbaa Gadaas have vital roles. They lead the participating communities who follow them carrying bunch of green straw and daisies in their hands praising, blessing and praying to Waaqa in their songs. They order the participants what to say in the praise and prayer.
Ornamented with white sparkling cotton costumes and turbans the men hold spears and a special stick that was designated by the Gada system.
During the Irrecha ceremony, Women sing ‘Maariyoo… Maareyoo… meaning your mercy on us and are decorated with Caaccuu (beads of different colors), traditional costumes and Siiqqee (stick traditionally handled by oromo women). The men also hold a traditional stick called haroresa as they chant the Ireecha song with women.
After soaking the fresh lavish grass and the flower into the lake water and splashing the participants, the Abbaa Malkaa, Abbaa Gaddaas and Qaallus bless the participants and make speeches on rules and regulations newly declared at the Gada handing over ceremony or assist to recall the preexisting laws.
At the end of the Irreecha Malkaa celebration, all participants sing together “Irreechoo yaa Irreecha Malkaa Roobaa fi Nagaa……” to mean Thanksgiving at the river for rain and peace. All singing this go back to their villages.
Moreover, the Oromo People celebrate this event to mark the end of rainy season, known as Ganna, which was established by Oromo forefathers, in the time of Gadaa Melbaa in Oromia. The Day of Gadaa Melbaa – was established on the Sunday of last week of September or the Sunday of the 1st week of October according to the Gadaa lunar calendar has been designated as National Thanksgiving Day by modern-day Oromo People.
Irreecha Tullu is the thanksgiving ceremony that is performed at the top of mountains or hills during dry season, bona in Afaan Oromo. It is performed at the beginning of the spring season usually in March.
Despite the explanations provided, some may still think that Irecha is one version of idol worship but the practice on the ground does not show any level of worship let alone idol worship. Irreecha in a nutshell is one way of cultural thanksgiving event that could be separately registered as another Ethiopian Intangible World Heritage.
This year Irreecha is celebrated under the mixture of greater national successes and challenges from within and without. The year is crowned with the nearly completed GERD, promising GDP growth, massive successes in National GREEN Legacy Initiative, and the construction of a number of eco-tourism resorts across the country, corridor development in Addis Ababa and regional towns and Ethiopia’s membership in BRICS.
Regrettably, some countries in the neighborhood who are not in tune with Ethiopia’s quest for peace, access to ports and socio-economic development of the country are trying to team up against Ethiopia to push the nation into the most undesirable war the results of which they cannot predict.
Ethiopia is striving to consolidate the struggle against terrorism which is the most dangerous threat to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea peaceful trade but these countries are trying to orchestrate a proxy war from which their own people would never benefit.
As repeatedly stressed by the authorities of the country, Ethiopia stands for sustained peace and development and the nation hopes peace could be restored through constructive disengagement and negotiations in good faith.
As a celebration of peace and good will among peoples, the Irreecha festival is expected to be an occasion for peace, mutual support, understanding and forgiveness among the peoples of Ethiopia. No country or people could benefit from destabilization and disruption of peace and Irreecha must not be used for political propaganda and disruptive agitation which would take us nowhere.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
The Ethiopian Herald October 6/2024
