BY MULUGETA GUDETA
To begin with, Ethiopian spiritual holidays come in sync with natural transformations taking place everywhere. They are in sync not only with nature but also with one another. Take the example of the Meskel and Irreechaa for instance, two holidays that occur a week or so apart in the context of nature’ bountiful transformations. Between July and September, Mother Nature undergoes real transformations as if it is preparing the environmental context in which the holidays announce their new arrivals.
The rains of June and July give way to sunshine as soon as Pagume or “the thirteenth month of Ethiopian sunshine” knocks on our doors. The transition is not however brutal as it sometimes happens in other, mainly European or Western countries. It is rather a smooth transition from less sunshine to more and more rainfall to less. This is done with clockwork precision as nature never falters in its promises and the Creator never misses an appointment.
To begin with, there is no winter in Ethiopia in the Western sense of the term. The Western winter is as everyone knows, brutal, sometimes deadly with no sunshine in between and a lot of bone-crushing cold and ceaseless snow. This is not the case in Ethiopia. One may be amazed by the sight of people walking with only T-shirts on their backs in the middle of the rainy season which is sometimes mistaken for an Ethiopian winter. In Europe and America, you would freeze automatically if you try to go outdoors wearing only T-shirts.
A clergy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church recently commented on this issue by saying that you would fall ill or die in the West if you try to live the way Ethiopians live through their cold season. I agree with his comment. If you disagree I recommend the doubters to travel to Ethiopia during the rainy season and see whether they freeze to death or not. They would rather find out that the Ethiopian cold season is more preferable than the Western spring or summertime.
The synchronicity between the seasons and the holidays is however a more interesting one. Meskel which is “a Christian holiday in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox churches that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Helena (Saint Helena) in the fourth century. Meskel occurs on the 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar (27 September, Gregorian calendar, or on 28 September in leap years). “Meskel” (or “Meskal” or “Mesqel”, there are various ways to transliterate from Ge’ez to Latin script) is Ge’ez for “cross”.”
At this time of the year nature seems to be mourning at the same time that it smiles at people celebrating the historic occasion. There are both small showers of rain as well as gentle sunshine. Ethiopia is not a land of extreme natural conditions and that is what makes it a unique land of moderation despite the fact that other aspects of life might look brutal; like the poverty, the human displacements and the ensuing violence might paint a different picture of the country and its people.
Ireechaaa comes a week or so after Meskel is celebrated. Here, there is a dual synchronicity between nature and the holidays and between the holidays themselves. Irreechaa by definition “is a thanksgiving holiday celebrating the end of the winter in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The Oromo people celebrate Irreecha to thank Waaqa (God) for the blessings and mercies they have received throughout the previous year. The Irreecha festival is celebrated every year at the beginning of Birraa (spring), new season after the dark and rainy winter season. It is attended by hundreds of thousands people. The thanksgiving is celebrated at sacred lakes across Oromia and Hora Harsadi, Bishoftu, Oromia as a whole. Once at the lake, festival-goers immerse freshly cut green grass and the flowers they are carrying and sprinkle themselves and place in water.”
Irreecha is about water, fertility and bounty and it occurs at the end of the rainy season. According to sources, “The Irreecha festival is celebrated every year at the beginning of Birraa (Spring), new season after the dark and rainy winter season. It is attended by hundreds of thousands people. The thanksgiving is celebrated at sacred lakes across Oromia and HoraHarsadi, Bishoftu, Oromia as a whole. Once at the lake, festival-goers immerse freshly cut green grass and the flowers they are carrying and sprinkle themselves and place in water.”
This is in perfect synchronization with nature as well as with Meskel which occurs a week or so earlier. Is this a calendar consciously written by human beings? Not at all! This is the work of nature and indirectly the work of the Creator. In both Meskel and Ireecha, the main focus is on god, the Creator. In both cases, the celebration is divinely inspired as Christ’s death and resurrection which is also the resurrection of humanity from the fall from grace and the defeat of Evil while Ireechaa celebrates the generosity and bounty the Creator gives to humanity. The difference is that the former is a Christian holiday while the latter is celebrated by adherents of all religions; Christians, Muslims or by followers of other religious denominations. In both cases, there is a lot of joy and happiness and hope and kindness.
Ethiopia is considered a kind of “spiritual entity” or a land of believers where an estimated 99.9 per cent of the people adhere to one or another kind belief system. The paradox may be that why such a spiritual land could be faced with huge challenges instead of savoring a stable, peaceful and prosperous life and a secured future. This is the single most concerning paradox that has baffled at the same time that it has shocked and concerned many of the best and brightest minds of the countries.
As one top EOC clergyman told viewers on a recent TV talk show, the problem with Ethiopia is not about lack of spirituality but human failure in properly translating beliefs into practice. It is a problem of failing to interiorize the spiritual teachings which may be corrupted by many factors, internal and external. It is interesting to note that when asked by the show host what is the way out of the paradox, he said that as a people we should go beyond knowledge of the faiths to that of interiorizing it into our hearts and be guided by the teachings in our daily lives. Of course, this gives ample food for thought.
Anyway, Irreecha and Meskal may be considered twin holidays that have been coming back every year since the birth of religions. The unifying factors are faith in the Creator, water as a symbol of purification and rebirth as well as fertility and bounty.The true significance of Irreechaa, or Ethiopian Thanksgiving certainly goes beyond annual celebrations involving a lot of ordinary rituals such as a lot of dancing, singing, eating and drinking that makes the occasion a moment of fun and joy. This is what often happens on Irreechaa day at the ordinary level. But Irreechaa has also a spiritual dimension defined as a “thanksgiving holiday” celebrated in Oromia, and in many places across Ethiopia.
How is Ethiopia, with all its faiths, spiritual practices and a great deal of strength and survival, going to translate its spiritual wealth into national unity by overcoming current challenges? This is of course the million dollar question although the answer may sound easier than anyone can anticipate. According to the guest of the talk show I referred to above, Ethiopia will have to examine or reexamine the difficult times it had in its past and use the lessons of our ancestors to help us overcome current challenges. In other words, it is by going back to our roots that we can understand our present.
Some people define Irreecha as constituting one of the several religious and cultural practices defining the hallmark of the entire Oromo life. It has promoted and enhanced understanding and unity among the Oromo. It has helped build their common values and shared visions, and consolidated peace (Nagaa Oromo), tolerance and resilience.” This are exactly the traditional values that Ethiopia needs to rediscover or revisit at this particular time when e need to look back our spiritual roots in order to find solutions to our present malaise.
How did our forefathers dealt with similar situations in the past to uphold our country’s unity, integrity and spiritual strength? The answer to this question may be long and complex. However, to make a long story short, the guiding spirits of Meskel and Irreecha can go a long way into opening our hearts and mind to the possibilities of mutual love, respect andcompassion as Christ taught his followers from the top of his cross and the Waaqa gave us such a beautiful country where we should live in by respecting and observing his wishes, in love and happiness.
The Ethiopian Herald September 30/2022
