{"id":97394,"date":"2025-10-07T04:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T04:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=97394"},"modified":"2025-10-07T04:57:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T04:57:00","slug":"photos-selfies-and-singing-as-ethiopians-celebrate-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=97394","title":{"rendered":"Photos: Selfies and singing as Ethiopians celebrate thanksgiving"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>1 Minute, 39 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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Tens of thousands of vibrantly dressed Ethiopians descended on downtown Addis Ababa for an annual thanksgiving festival this weekend.<\/p>\n

Irreecha is celebrated by the Oromo, Ethiopia\u2019s largest ethnic group, and takes place at the end of the country\u2019s main rainy season.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

Each year, festival-goers gather around sacred rivers and lakes to thank their creators for the greenery that the rains have brought.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been celebrating Irreecha for the past nine years,\u201d 25-year-old Moata Abdulmajid (pictured below) told the BBC.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, Irreecha represents my identity; it reflects the pride and greatness of my people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

Men, women, the elderly and the young all join in, adorned in eye-catching clothes and jewellery.<\/p>\n

They sing, dance, share stories and place freshly cut grass and flowers in water \u2013 a symbol of life, renewal and hope.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n
\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

Irreecha does not only attract people from across Ethiopia, attendees fly in from around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came last year \u2013 it was so good, so beautiful, I brought my children with me this year,\u201d says Claire (pictured second from right), from Belfast in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is amazing. Everybody wants to say hello, everyone wants to give you a kiss and say welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

The first day of the festival took place on Saturday in Addis Ababa. On Sunday, festival-goers travelled to Bishoftu, a small town just outside the capital.<\/p>\n

Although the Irreecha has its roots in indigenous faith systems, it is now observed by the majority of Oromos, regardless of their religion.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n
\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

In the past decade, the number of people attending the festival has increased dramatically. <\/p>\n

This is partly due to the rise of social media, where many young people document their outfits, dancing and singing during the festival.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n
\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

In the past, Irreecha was used as a platform for anti-government protests \u2013 the Oromo people have long complained about political and economic marginalisation.<\/p>\n

However, this year\u2019s celebration unfolded peacefully, with an emphasis on joy, unity and cultural pride.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:<\/figure>\n

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