Selfies and singing as Ethiopia’s Oromo people celebrate thanksgiving

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians who wear vibrant clothes in the center of Addis Ababa descended from the annual Thanksgiving Festival this week.

Irreecha is celebrated by Oromo, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, and is at the end of the country’s main rainy season.

Every year, the pioneers of festivals gather around the rivers and sacred lakes to thank their creators for the green spaces brought by the rain.

“I have been celebrating IREEHA over the past nine years,” Mata Abdolemid, 25, told the BBC.

“For me, Irreecha represents my identity, as it reflects the pride and greatness of my people.”

Men, women, the elderly and young people, who decorate attractive clothes and jewelry.

They sing, dance, share stories, put the grass and fresh flowers in water – a symbol of life, renewal and hope.

Irreecha not only attracts people from all over Ethiopia, but also fly from all over the world.

“I came last year – it was good and very beautiful, I brought my children with me this year,” says Claire (in the second picture of the right), from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

“It is amazing. Everyone wants to say hello, everyone wants to give you a kiss and say welcome.”

On the first day of the festival, on Saturday in Addis Ababa. On Sunday, the festival’s pioneers traveled to Bishovo, a small city outside the capital.

Although Irreecha has its roots in the original systems of faith, it now is noticed by most of the Oromus, regardless of their religion.

In the past decade, the number of people attending the festival has increased significantly. This is partly due to the emergence of social media, as many young people document their clothes, dancing and singing during the festival.

In the past, Irreecha was used as a platform for anti -government protests – the Uromo people have long complained of political and economic marginalization.

However, this year’s celebration was revealed in peace, focusing on joy, loneliness and cultural pride.