Irreechaa
Irreecha (also called Irreessa or Dhibaayyuu), is 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 Region like the Hora Finfinne and Hora Harsadi, Bishoftu, Oromia Region 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 | |
|---|---|
Irreecha Festival in 2019 at Addis Ababa | |
| Official name | Irreecha |
| Observed by | |
| Type | National, cultural |
| Significance | Thanksgiving |
| Celebrations |
|
| Date | In October every year |
| Related to | Thanksgiving day |
In 2019, the festival was celebrated in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and the regional state of Oromia, followed by Irreecha in Bishoftu. The 2020 Irreecha in Addis Ababa was celebrated by around 5,000 people due to political tension and the COVID-19 pandemic. Irreecha is also celebrated around the world where diaspora Oromos live especially in North America and Europe.