GLOBAL — Oromo communities across the world are observing Ayyaana Amajjii this week, the 46th anniversary of a historic victory in their long-standing quest for self-determination. The day commemorates a pivotal moment when a small group of Oromo fighters secured a landmark triumph against formidable adversaries, an event enshrined in collective memory as a testament to resilience and strategic courage.

For over four decades, the Amajjii celebration has served as a core cultural and political observance. This year’s commemoration, however, is marked by a stark duality: it is simultaneously a reaffirmation of identity and a protest against what organizers describe as severe ongoing repression.

In statements released for the occasion, community spokespersons framed the current period as one of “difficulty and darkness.” They cited “drone strikes, artillery shelling, mass arrests, and killings by Ethiopian military forces and Fano militia” as the harsh backdrop against which the holiday is being observed. “This brutal oppression wounds us,” one message read, “but without losing hope, we resist fiercely and honor our Amajjii, learned from our ancestors.”

Central to the day’s symbolism is the lighting of the Xomboorrii Amajjii, or Amajjii bonfire, atop the highest available hill. This flame is described not merely as a ritual, but as a powerful transmitter. Organizers state it carries a “supreme message” of “true freedom, emergence from subjugation, unbreakable hope rising from despair, and light breaking through profound darkness” to all who witness it.

“Amajjii is more than a holiday; it is the ultimate symbol of the endurance defining our entire struggle,” a community elder explained. “In times of intensified crackdowns, its history becomes our most vital weapon for unity and renewal.”

The observance also functions as a solemn memorial for fallen freedom fighters. It is a day to “remember the Oromo liberation fighters who sacrificed their lives without hesitation to liberate and protect Oromia and its people.”

This year’s messages emphasize renewal and perseverance. They call for the community to “strengthen our pledge” to continue the pursuit of a future where Oromia is a place of asserted rights and dignified existence. The lighting of the bonfire, from the homeland to diaspora communities, stands as a silent, luminous act of defiance—a declaration that cultural memory itself is a foundational pillar of ongoing resistance.

The traditional greeting, Ayyaana Amajjii Gaarii, echoes globally, carrying with it the weight of history and the unwavering demand for a free and just future.