Africa’s largest indigenous thanksgiving festival brings a sea of white and color to the capital, as participants use the ancient celebration to demand an end to Ethiopia’s conflicts.

(WorldOfAfrica, Addis Ababa — October 3, 2026) Tens of thousands of Oromo people flooded the sacred grounds of Hora Finfinnee in Addis Ababa on Saturday morning, transforming the heart of the Ethiopian capital into a spectacular display of culture, tradition, and spiritual devotion.

The annual Irreecha thanksgiving festival, celebrated at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the harvest, brought together participants from across Oromia, other regions of Ethiopia, and the diaspora. Dressed in vibrant traditional attire, they gathered at the water’s edge to offer prayers of gratitude to Waaqa, the Creator, through singing, dancing, and ancient rituals.

A Sea of Color and Tradition

From the early morning hours, hundreds of thousands of people converged on Hora Finfinnee, filling the celebration grounds with music, blessings, and a powerful sense of cultural pride. The festival’s sea of colors, traditional costumes, and synchronized dances created what observers described as a spectacular cultural scene in the heart of Addis Ababa.

Abbaa Gadaas — traditional Oromo leaders — elders, youth, and guests from diverse backgrounds joined the celebration, showcasing the richness and diversity of Oromo cultural heritage. The festival also reflects the enduring values of the Gadaa system, the traditional Oromo governance structure recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Participants carried fresh green grass and yellow Adey Abeba flowers to the water, dipping them into the sacred waters and sprinkling them as blessings for the land, cattle, and people — symbols of fertility, renewal, and hope.

Calls for Peace Amid Ongoing Conflict

But this year’s celebration carried a weightier message. As the festival unfolded, participants and elders used the occasion to call for an end to the conflicts plaguing various parts of Ethiopia.

The gathering took place amid reports that federal forces had entered Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, escalating fears of renewed conflict.

“Even though peace has been disturbed in the past years, the Oromo are now celebrating Irreecha beautifully, but there are wars in various places,” said student Simert Ababa. “I say that needs to be stabilised as much as possible, and this government has a role in that. Children should not miss their education, mothers should not be harmed, children should not be harmed.”

Bilise Mohammed, another student, echoed the sentiment: “For those in the north, create an agreement so the war stops. To the government and to those who are fighting, peace comes first. The people are the ones that are dying, this won’t take you anywhere.”

Oromo elders at the festival urged those involved in the conflict to resolve their differences through dialogue, warning that internal divisions could leave Ethiopia vulnerable to external threats. Police maintained a visible presence at Meskel Square and the festival grounds to ensure security.

A Festival Beyond Celebration

Irreecha is far more than a cultural gathering. For the Oromo people — Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group — it is a spiritual cornerstone, a time of gratitude, reconciliation, and community renewal. The festival marks the transition from Ganna, the dark rainy season, to Birraa, the bright spring season.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his Irreecha message, drew a direct parallel between the natural seasons and Ethiopia’s political journey. He described how the Oromo people gather at the river for traditional thanksgiving rituals — fathers reciting “Marehoo” and mothers reciting “Araaroo” — offering gratitude to the Creator.

The Prime Minister also used the occasion to call for national unity and reconciliation, citing an Oromo proverb: “The house where one sleeps is better than the one where one merely spends the evening.” He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to peace and urged armed groups to choose dialogue over prolonged conflict.

A Celebration That Continues to Grow

What began as a traditional thanksgiving ceremony has become one of the largest cultural gatherings in Africa, drawing millions to sacred sites across Oromia and capturing growing international attention.

The return of Irreechaa to Hora Finfinnee — the original sacred site in the heart of Addis Ababa — is seen as a historic reclamation of cultural space. For decades, public celebrations were suppressed, and the Oromo people were denied the right to gather at their sacred sites.

As the sun set over the capital and the crowds began their journey home, the spirit of Irreechaa lingered. The green grass may wither, but the blessings sought and the bonds forged will endure until the waters rise again next year.

Irreecha for National Consensus! Irreecha for Peace and Unity!

For World of Africa, I’m Eric Njoka, Addis Ababa.