Millions Gather in Ethiopia for a Festival of Gratitude and Renewal

A Celebration Welcoming a New Season

Millions of Oromo people have gathered across Ethiopia to celebrate Irreecha, an annual thanksgiving festival marking the end of the rainy season and the beginning of a new season.

The colourful celebrations took place at traditional sites including Hora Finfinnee in Addis Ababa and Hora Arsadi in Bishoftu. People travelled from towns, rural communities and abroad to take part in the ceremonies.

Traditional Clothing Fills the Celebrations

Participants arrived wearing traditional Oromo clothing, jewellery and ornaments, creating a striking display of colour and cultural identity.

Women and men carried fresh green grass and flowers, which are important symbols during the ceremony. Music, singing, dancing and prayers formed part of the gatherings as families and communities celebrated together.

Giving Thanks for Life and the Season

Irreecha is a time for people to express gratitude to Waaqa, the Creator, for life, rainfall, fertility and the blessings of the season that has passed.

Water also plays an important role. At lakes and other traditional gathering places, participants take part in ceremonies involving water, grass and flowers as they give thanks and look ahead to the coming season.

A Tradition Passed From One Generation to Another

The festival is also an important way for Oromo families to preserve their cultural heritage. Elders, parents and children participate together, allowing younger generations to learn traditional songs, clothing, ceremonies and customs by taking part themselves.

The celebrations are connected to the Gadaa system, the traditional Oromo system of social organisation and governance, which UNESCO added to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.

A Moment of Community and Renewal

Beyond its spiritual meaning, Irreecha provides an opportunity for families and communities to reconnect. Friends and relatives gather, traditional customs are shared and people reflect on the season that has passed while looking forward to what comes next.

For millions of participants, the festival represents gratitude, cultural identity and continuity. It is a celebration in which the past, present and future come together through people, traditions and community.

Source: Reuters, “Ethiopia’s Irreecha: Oromo traditions of gratitude, peace and cultural identity”, October 4, 2026.