🔗 Share this article Selfies as well as Chanting as People of Ethiopia Celebrate Annual Thanksgiving Countless individuals of brightly clothed participants gathered in the heart of the city center for the yearly gratitude celebration over the past days. This thanksgiving celebration is observed by the Oromo community, Ethiopia's largest population group, and occurs at the end of the nation's primary monsoon period. Each year, celebrants come together around sacred water bodies to express gratitude to their creators for the fertile landscape that the precipitation have brought. "I've been celebrating this celebration for the past nine years," mentioned young adult one attendee. "In my view, the celebration represents my heritage, it demonstrates the honor and importance of my ethnic group." Gentlemen, women, the senior citizens and the younger generation all take part, decorated in eye-catching clothes and accessories. They sing, perform traditional dances, exchange narratives and arrange freshly cut grass and floral arrangements in water - symbolizing life, renewal and aspiration. International Participation The celebration brings in people from across Ethiopia, visitors come from globally. "I visited last year - it was wonderful, so spectacular, I brought along my kids with me currently," said one visitor, hailing from abroad. "It is amazing. All people wants to say hello, all attendees shows warmth and expresses hospitality." Event Timeline The opening day of the event took place on recently in the main city. On Sunday, celebrants travelled to a provincial location, a settlement just outside the main city. While Irreecha has its roots in indigenous faith systems, it is now celebrated by the larger part of the Oromo people, regardless of their belief system. Recent Developments In the past decade, the quantity of individuals attending the celebration has expanded substantially. This is in part thanks to the rise of social media, where various young people document their clothing, traditional dances and musical expressions during the celebration. Historical Significance In the earlier times, the festival was functioned as a stage for public dissent - the ethnic group have consistently raised issues about political and economic marginalisation. Nonetheless, this year's celebration unfolded peacefully, with an focus on celebration, togetherness and heritage appreciation.