REPORT ON IREECHA FESTIVAL
Oromia Times - October 5, 2007
The Oromo, the largest population in Ethiopia with about 40 million populations have their own distinct cultural ceremony. Irrecha is one such ceremony which takes place every year, after the big rain in the month of September just before the beginning of the harvest season. It is a combination of New Year and thanksgiving festival.
The Oromo people from the time of immemorial had recognized Waaqa as the only supreme reality, the creator of everything. They could be one among the earliest peoples of the world to develop the doctrine of monotheism. Waaqeffannaa is Oromo traditional religion and manifested by Oromummaa as part of the cultural domain of the Gadaa Oromo Society. Since the emergence of Waaqeffannaa as public religious affairs, the Oromos have been organizing the Irreecha ceremony near a body of water (lake, spring or stream) every year.
The Irrecha ceremony is conducted by offering thanks and greeneries to Waaqa Who helped them pass through the 'dark' rainy winter season to the bright sunny season which begins to shine in the month of Birraa(September), the time crops and plants are furnishing colorful flowers.
Although most Oromos celebrate Irrecha in their localities, the main event takes place in Bishoftu, Oromia. Like always, the 2007 Irreecha ceremony was colorfully celebrated near Har-Arsadii Lake of Bishoftu on September 30. In spite of the problems confronting them in the Ethiopian empire, Oromos from far and near poured into the area like abundant rain.
The Irreecha festival remains the only occasion that bring all Oromos together as the TPLF has banned Oromos from meeting and discussing their affairs. Ever since the Matcha-Tulama association was banned, the intolerable TPLF regime tried in vain to take over the Irrecha festival and make it an OPDO event instead of Oromo national holiday ...