Addis Ababa recently witnessed a powerful display of culture as thousands of Oromo people, adorned in traditional white attire, gathered to celebrate the annual Irreecha thanksgiving festival. This vibrant event serves to thank God, known locally as Waaqa, while promoting messages of peace and unity across Ethiopia. For many attendees, the celebration holds deep significance as it represents a hard-won right to cultural expression after decades of suppression. The atmosphere this year was particularly joyful, with the recent inauguration of the Grand Renaissance Dam adding to the communal spirit. While the festival has a painful past, including a deadly stampede in 2016, its current revival is seen as a symbol of empowerment under the nation’s first Oromo prime minister, even as some community members voice criticisms that their core demands remain unmet.
AP
