(A4O, 12 Waxabajjii 2022) Hawaasti Oromoo Australia Melbourne ayyaana Irreecha Arfaasaa baranaa Waxabajjii 12 bara 2022, haala hoo’aa fi miidhagaan kabajatan.

Ayyaanni Tulluu bakka Kokoda Memorial Park jedhamu irratti kabajame kun, akkum aadaa Oromootti eebba angafootaan eegalame. Angafoonnis hirmaatota ayyaanichaa eebbisuun, Waaqni Uumama maraaf nagaa fi araara akka buusu kadhannaa godhan.

Ayyaana Irreecha Arfaasaa kana irratti dhaloota ayyaana Irreechaa jiraachisuuf, keessattuu bara 2016 dhumaatii Irreechaa Harsadii irratti wareegamaniif yaadannoo godhaniiru.

Sirnicha irratti akka ibsametti, Ayyaanni Irreecha Arfaasa kun baroota lamaan darban sababa COVID-19 addaan cite ture. Yeroo sanatti, immoo afuurri ayyaanicha akka hin badneef, sadarkaa maatiitti akka kabajamu godhamuu qindeessitoonni himanii jiru.

Barana haalli waan jijjirameef, hawaastni bakka tokkotti dhufee ayyaanicha kabajuun hedduu gammachiisaa ta’uu hirmamtonnis dubbataniiru.

Ayyaana kana irratti ummanni seerota fi qajeelfamoota karaa mootummaa bahan  hordofuun akka balaa COVID fi qufaa irraa ofii fi maatii isaanii eegan dhaamsi darbeera.

Irreecha Arfaasaa maal?

Irreechi Arfaasaa ayyaana galateeffannaa Oromoo kan waggaa waggaan al tokko xumura yeroo gogiinsaafi jalqabbii yeroo roobaa keessa kabajamuu dha.

Sirnichi eebbaa fi ogummaa jaarsoliif kabajaa ni qaba; hambaa kunuunsuu, madaalli guddina dhala namaa fi eegumsa naannoo waloomsuuf ni gargaara.

Ayyaanni Irreecha Arfaasaa fiixee gaarren, tulluu fi lafa olka’aa biroo irratti kabajama. Sababiin isaas lafti kun gatii jireenyaa fi uumamaa bakka bu’a jedhanii waan amananiif.

Akkasumas, ayyaana kana irratti angafoota aadaa fi seenaa Oromoo jiraachisuuf obsaa fi kutannoo agarsiisaniif – injifannoo hawaasummaa dabalataaf karaa saaquu –galateeffannaan ni godhamaaf.

Ayyaanni Irreecha Arfaasdaa aadaa, seenaa fi uumama Oromoo miidhagsuu yeroo bonni xumuramuuf jedhu yookaan yeroo ganni seenuuf haala adda ta’een kabaju.

Kaayyoo fi Hiika Irreechaa

Irreechi guyyaa galateeffannaa Oromoo ti. Ayyaanni Irreechaa waggaatti yeroo lama: Irreechaa Malkaa fi Irreechaa Tulluu, gamtaadhaan kabajama.

Ayyaanni Irreechaa mata duree aadaa fi eenyummaa irratti kan xiyyeeffatu waan ta’eef, miseensota hawaasaa duudhaa isaanii beeksisuudhaaf gargaara. Ayyaana kanarratti jaarsoliin seera, safuu, duudhaa, seenaa fi muuxannoo isaanii hawaasaaf qooduun, tokkummaa maatii fi hawaasaa eeguuf unkaalee jireenya kaa’u. Sirnichi eebbaa fi ogummaa jaarsolii kabajuu, hambaa kunuunsuu fi guddina dhala namaa madaaluuf gahee guddaa qaba.

Guyyaa kana namoonni fiixee gaara irratti yookaan qarqara Malkaatti walitti qabamanii Waaqa isaanii hundumaa danda’u galateeffatu; ammaa fi egereef immoo Araaraa, Nagaa, Walooma fi Finnaa ( Misooma Waliigalaa) akka isaaniif baay’isuuf ni kadhatu.  

Irreechaan duudhaa ayyaana gaarii kan Oromoon Uumaa kabajuu fi galateeffachuuf tolfatee dha.

Faayidaan Ayyaana Irrecha maal?

Ayyaanni Irreechaa yeroo ummanni walitti dhufee gammachuun Waaqa galateefaftu. Kun immoo akka dhalli namaa yaaddoo guyyuu, dhiphuu fi jeequmsa keessaa bahee ayyaan gaarii waliin dabarsu godha; guyyaa tokkoofis ta’u, dhiphuu fi yaaddoo hunda dagannee jireenyaa gaarii kabajuuf carraa nuuf kennan; guyyoota muraasaaf yoo ta’ellee, gara jiruu nagaa qabu jiraachuutti dhufna.

Ayyaana akka Irrechaa kabajuun dhiphina karaa adda addaa nutti jiru nurraa hir’isa. Kana malees, Ayyaana gaarii nuuf baay’isa; miirota nu laaffisan immoo nurraa xiqqeessa.  

Akkasumas ayyaanni Irreechaa wal-dhabdee namoota gidduu jiru hir’isuuf carraa nuuf kenna. Yeroo kanatti, hiriyootaa fi firoota adda ba’an walitti deebisee araarsuufi hariiroo jaalalaatiin walitti fiduuf nu gargaara.

Irreechaa fi COVID

Ayyaanni Irreechaa ayyaana gamtaan walitti bahanii kabajatanii dha. Haata’uutii, yeroo COVID babal’ate keessa gamtaan walitti dhufuun dhukkibicha daran babal’isa. Sababa Kanaan yeroo COVID keessa Ayyaanni Irreechaa akka addaatti kabajamuu eegale. Bakka seerri walitti qabama hawaasaa dhorkutti, ayyaanicha sadarkaa maatii qofaatti kabajuun dirqama ture.

Hawaasti Oromoo biyya Australia keessa jiraatan, fakkeenyaaf, waggoota lamaan darban ayyaanicha sadarkaa maatiitti kabajachaa turan; haala kabaja ayyaanichaa immoo karaa Zoom walitti dhufanii yaada walifi dabarsaa, suuraalee ayyaanicha akan sadarkaa maattiii gagggeefaftan waliif qoodaa fi miidiyaa hawaasaa irratti walifi qoodaa turan. Bakka seerri akka namootni muraasti walitti dhufan hayyametti immoo hawaasa lakkoofsa xiqqaa ta’an walitti dhufanii kabajachaa darban.  

Seenaa Duubbee

Ummanni Oromoo Irreechaa Waaqaa galateeffachuu qofaaf osoo hin taane, yeroo qorraa kan roobaan waliin walqabate simachuuf kabaju. Ayyaana Irreechaa irratti hiriyyoonni, maatiin, firoottan walitti qabamanii gammachuu ayayaneffatu. Ayyaanni Irreechaa namoota walitti dhiheessuun, gamtaa hawaasummaa ni uuma. Aadaan kun baroota hdeeraaf kan itti fufee kabajamaa jiruu dha.

Afoola Oromoo irra akka hubatamutti, ummanni Oromoo yeroo Arfaasaa ayyaana gaariin kabajuu kan eegalan, xumura waqtii gogiinsa, kan Bona jedhamuun beekamu gaggeessuf, akkasumas yeroo roobaa, kan Ganna jedhamuun beekamu simachuuf ture.

Angafoonni Oromoo akka himanitti, ayyaanni kun, bara Gadaa Melbaa keessaa hundeeffame.  Ayyaanni Irreecha Arfaasaa kun bara dheeraaf otuu addaan hin citiin kan itti fufee jiruu dha. Bara ammayyaa kanattis, ummanni Oromoo yeroo Birraa Malkaatti, yeroo Arfaasaa immoo Tulluutti bahuun gamtaan Waaqa galateeffachaa fi kadhachaa jiru. Irreechi waggoota 6400 oliif ummata Oromoo biratti kabajamaa tureera.

(Oromedia, June 12, 2022) The Oromo community in Melbourne, Australia celebrates the Irreecha Arfaasaa festival in a grand manner.

The festival, which is celebrated on June 12, began with a blessing by the elders. Oromo mothers and fathers prayed for peace and mercy to all creatures.

The celebrators also offered silence of remembrance and prayers for the martyrs of the 2016 Irreecha massacre and those who paid their sacrifices to pass on the tradition of Irreechaa.

The Irreechaa festival was cancelled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the organisers, it would celebrate at the family level to preserve the spirit of the holiday.

Participants said they are happy to celebrate the Irreecha Arfaasaa together with their community in this year celebration held at Kokoda Track Memorial Walk (1000 Steps).

On the occasion, the people are urged to follow the laws and guidelines issued by the government to protect themselves and their families from the dangers of COVID and flu.

Irreecha Arfaasaa Spirit

Irreecha is a day of thanksgiving celebrated in the hills or mountains at the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season.

The Oromo people who go to the mountains for this event not only gather for thanksgiving but also to pray for the achievement of Araaraa (reconciliation), Nagaa (peace), Waloomaa (harmony) and Finnaa (holistic development).

Irreecha celebrated on the top of the hills or mountains is called Irreecha Arfaasaa. Sometimes, it’s also called (‘Festival of the Good Spirit’). This festival is celebrated by the Oromo people in May/June.

Two seasonal Irreechaa

Traditionally, Oromo people celebrate two seasonal Irreechaa festivals nationwide. One is Irreecha Birraa that is celebrated in late September (or early October) during the sunny season and the late rainy season.  

The second one is Irreecha Arfaasaa which is celebrated during the rainy season (i.e., the harvest season). This seasonal Irreechaa is celebrated to bring good spirit with rain and heat; By the way, mothers spread their seeds on the ground during the rainy season only to ensure that the last seeds will be turned into humans.

Purpose and Meaning

Irreecha Arfaasaa is an annual Oromo Thanksgiving Day that is repeated once a month in May or in June.

On this day, people have a ceremony to thank their ancestors for their determination to continue their culture and history. The dry season ends (October to April and the rainy season begins (May to September).

Respecting nature and being grateful for life are an Oromo good spirit culture. Its ceremonies celebrate the blessings and wisdom of the elders, preserve the heritage, and appraise the growth of the human child.

The Importance of Irreechaa Festival

Irreechaa festivals have a great contribution to social cohesion. Because the festival focuses on cultural issues, it helps to recognise community members and their values. During the festival, community elders share traditional laws, culture, legends, and customs with the community with examples of how to maintain community and family unity.

Irreechaa provides the opportunity to forget all our worries and celebrate the good aspects of our life. It helps us to keep our emotions balanced and to reduce negativity in our life. It also provides an opportunity to reduce unhealthy habits and unites conflicting neighbours and relatives in a loving bond.

Irreecha brings together people from all religious, economic and social backgrounds.

Historical Background

The Oromo people celebrate Irreechaa not only to thank Waaqa (God) but also to interact with nature and welcome the new rainy winter season. On Irreechaa festivals, friends, family, and relatives gather together and celebrate with joy and happiness.

Irreechaa festivals are a festival stage that brings people together and shares good values ​​that create social bonds. Moreover, the Oromo people celebrate this exciting winter festival to welcome the beginning of winter and winter with joy.

Irreechaa was founded by Oromo ancestors in Gadaa Meelbaa in Mormor, Oromia. The auspicious day on which this last Mormor Day of Gadaa Belbaa — the Dark Time of starvation and hunger- was established on the 1st Sunday of last week of May or the 1st Sunday of the 1st week of June according to the Gadaa lunar calendar. It was celebrated as the second winter Thanksgiving by the modern Oromo people.

Irreecha has been celebrated by the Oromo people for over 6400 years.