The conclusion of the Irreechaa festival marks the beginning of a critical phase dedicated to stewardship, reflection, and future planning. These activities are essential for honoring the festival’s values and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

1. Environmental Stewardship: Clean-Up and Restoration

Immediately following the celebrations, a primary focus is the comprehensive clean-up and restoration of the festival grounds. This collective effort, led by organizers and volunteers, is a practical expression of the deep reverence for nature central to Irreechaa. Our goal is to leave the sacred sites as pristine as we found them, upholding the principle that a clean Irreechaa is a true reflection of our respect for the environment.

2. Comprehensive Event Evaluation

A structured review process is undertaken to analyze all aspects of the celebration. This includes an assessment of logistics, security, cultural programming, and overall community engagement to identify successes and areas for improvement.

3. Formal Recognition of Contributors

The successful execution of Irreechaa is a collective achievement. Formal acknowledgment of the dedication and hard work of all participants, volunteers, and partners is a vital concluding activity, expressing gratitude for their indispensable role.

4. Strategic Future Planning

The insights gathered from the event evaluation directly inform our strategic planning for the future. This process ensures we set concrete objectives and continuously improve, strengthening the festival for the years to come.

While the vibrant gathering at Irreechaa is a powerful climax, its true significance unfolds in the days and weeks that follow. For the Oromo community, the festival’s close marks the beginning of a period dedicated to reinforcing its profound messages of peace, gratitude, and harmony through meaningful traditions and personal reflection.

The lasting impact of Irreechaa is felt through several key practices:

• Strengthening Social Bonds: The festival sparks a wave of community connection. Families and neighbors gather for shared meals and traditional coffee ceremonies, repairing bonds and expressing gratitude for peaceful reunions.
• Sustaining Gratitude: The spirit of thanksgiving continues at home, with prayers for the new season’s blessings. Many host intimate gatherings to reflect on the central themes of Araaraa (reconciliation), Nagaa (peace), and Walooma (harmony).
• Passing Down Wisdom: Elders take a central role, sharing stories and blessings to guide the youth. This intergenerational dialogue ensures the continuity of Oromo heritage and cultural values.
• Inspiring Action: The festival’s values often catalyze community initiatives. Groups organize to support cultural preservation, social projects, and youth engagement, actively promoting Oromummaa (Oromo identity) throughout the year.
• Deepening Nature Connection: In a direct extension of Irreechaa’s reverence for the environment, many visit sacred sites for quiet contemplation, strengthening their spiritual bond with the natural world.

These enduring traditions demonstrate that Irreechaa is far more than a single event. It is a living culture that continuously nurtures identity, fosters unity, and sets a positive intention for the year ahead.

After the Irreechaa celebration, several meaningful activities and reflections typically follow, both for individuals and for the wider Oromo community. These actions help reinforce the festival’s spiritual, cultural, and communal outcomes.

The Lasting Spirit of Irreechaa: Meaningful Traditions That Extend Beyond the Festival While the vibrant gathering of Irreechaa is a powerful climax, its true significance often unfolds in the days and weeks that follow.

For the Oromo community, the festival’s close marks the beginning of a period dedicated to reinforcing its profound spiritual, cultural, and communal messages through a series of meaningful activities and personal reflections.

Strengthening Social Fabric- A central post-festival focus is on deepening connections. Attendees often spend quality time with family, friends, and neighbors, sharing meals and participating in traditional coffee ceremonies. These gatherings are a time to express gratitude for peaceful reunions and to fortify the social bonds that may have been strained during the rainy season, weaving the community closer together.

Sustaining Gratitude and Reflection- The spirit of thanksgiving does not end with the festival’s final prayer. Individuals and families frequently continue their expressions of gratitude at home, offering prayers for the blessings of the new season, continued peace, and good health. Some may host intimate follow-up gatherings to reflect on the central themes of Araaraa (reconciliation), Nagaa (peace), and Walooma (harmony) that were central to the Irreechaa celebration.

Passing Down Wisdom to the Next Generation- Elders play a crucial role in the post-Irreechaa period by sharing their wisdom and providing blessings.

They offer guidance for the year ahead, drawing on lessons from the festival and ensuring the continuity of Oromo heritage. This cultural transmission often occurs through storytelling in homes and community centers, directly engaging and inspiring the youth.

Keeping Cultural Expression Alive The energy of Irreechaa often spills over into continued cultural performances. Music, dance, and other traditional arts may persist, particularly in larger urban centers and diaspora communities. These expressions serve to foster pride, entertain families, and prolong the celebratory atmosphere, ensuring the culture remains dynamic and vibrant long after the main event.

Channeling Inspiration into Action– This period also serves as a catalyst for community-minded initiatives. Inspired by the festival’s values, groups often organize meetings to discuss how to support cultural preservation, social projects, and youth engagement. Associations, especially those in the diaspora, may evaluate the recent celebration and plan for the future, actively promoting Oromummaa (Oromo national identity and consciousness) throughout the coming year.

Deepening the Connection with Nature-In a continuation of Irreechaa’s spiritual connection to the environment, some families or groups extend their stay to visit other sacred sites or natural destinations. This time is used for quiet contemplation, relaxation, and strengthening bonds with nature, embodying the festival’s core reverence for the natural world.

Summary of Post-Irreechaa Activities Activity Purpose Reconnecting with Community & Family Strengthen social bonds and share festival experiences.

Continued Prayers & Thanksgiving Express ongoing gratitude for peace, health, and blessings. Elders’ Blessings & Storytelling Transmit cultural wisdom and guide the next generation. Ongoing Cultural Performances Foster pride and keep the cultural spirit alive. Reflection & Community Projects Plan future cultural, social, and developmental activities. Visits to Sacred & Natural Sites Reconnect with nature and engage in spiritual contemplation.

These enduring traditions demonstrate that Irreechaa is far more than a single-day event. Its significance ripples outward, continuously nurturing cultural identity, fostering unity, and helping to set positive intentions for the year ahead.

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Thousands gathered in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, to celebrate the East African country’s thanksgiving festival, which is celebrated annually by the largest ethnic group, the Oromos, who were donning mostly white traditional attire. (AP video shot by Amanuel Gebremedhin Birhane)

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People attend the annual thanksgiving celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Oct 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)

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People attend the annual thanksgiving celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Oct 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)

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People attend the annual thanksgiving celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Oct 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)

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People attend the annual thanksgiving celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Oct 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)

By  AMANUEL GEBREMEDHIN BIRHANEUpdated 9:51 PM GMT+11, October 5, 2025

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Thousands gathered in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday for the East African country’s thanksgiving festival, which is celebrated annually by the largest ethnic group, the Oromos, who were donning mostly white traditional attire.

The Irreecha festival is held to thank God, whom the Oromos call Waaqa. Some still practice the traditional Waaqqeffannaa, which is the worship of Waaqa.

“Irreecha is an important tradition that the Oromos treasure,” said Abbaa Gadaa Asmacha Foro, who was attending the festival and had traveled from the West Shewa Zone in the country’s central Oromia region.

Representing approximately a third of Ethiopia’s nearly 130 million population, the Oromo people use this annual festival to preach peace and unity.

“Irreecha is a vibrant thanksgiving festival that unites all the main clans of the Oromo,” said Robiya Bimam, a 35-year-old hotelier and resident of Addis Ababa.

There was increased security in the city before the festival, after the one in 2016 turned violent. Attendees at the time used the festival to hold anti-federal government protests and clashed with security forces, leading to a stampede that left more than 50 people dead.

That deadly festival gave birth to new leadership, which saw current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, born in the Oromia region, rise to power.

Ahmed said Saturday that this year’s Irreecha comes after the country inaugurated the Grand Renaissance Dam, which “doubles our joy.”

Legesse Addisalem, an elder from Sebeta, a small town located 22 kilometers (about 13 miles) from Addis Ababa, said that “Irreecha is a celebration of fertility, love, and peace. We pray for peace not only for Ethiopia but for all of Africa and the world.”

James Jordan, a tourist from the U.S., attended the Irreecha festival for the first time.

“As a tourist, I’m mesmerized by the lively culture and large crowds at the Irreecha festival,” he said.

“I found it to be a wonderful celebration,” said Tariku Gankasi, a prominent Ethiopian artist from Jinka, a southern region of Ethiopia.

The majority of Oromos believe that they were denied the right to practice and promote their traditions by authorities in the past, including Emperor Menelik II, Emperor Haile Selassie and the military-Marxist Derg government.

Following protracted struggles and immense sacrifices, the Irreecha festival was revived in the late 1990s, when the Derg was toppled.

Umer Ali, 60, was elegantly dressed in his traditional Oromo clothing as he reflected on the revival of the Irreecha celebrations.

“For 150 years, the Oromo were denied cultural expression, but reforms by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed six years ago now allow them to celebrate Irreecha in Finfine and express their culture,” he said.

Yosuf Robie, a resident of Addis Ababa, said that “we inherited this culture from our ancestors, and we must promote and pass it on to the next generation.”

Now, with Abiy as the country’s first Oromo leader, many Oromos feel more empowered to promote their culture.

But despite being Oromo, Abiy faces growing criticism from some within the community, who argue he hasn’t done enough for them.

“Despite the sacrifices made by generations for justice, freedom, and cultural recognition, most Oromo causes are still ignored and pushed aside under Abiy’s administration,” said Haqaafan Worku, a 36-year-old social science expert. “Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tries to create a false image, pretending that the questions and demands of the Oromo have been addressed. This is far from the truth.”

Source: https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-thanksgiving-irreecha-festival-0b891c0cba77f45386648ec077ff04eb

Addis Ababa, October 5, 2025 (ENA)—The Irreecha Festival, one of the most significant cultural and spiritual events in the Oromo culture was celebrated in an atmosphere of peace, unity, and cultural pride, according to Abbaa Gadaas.

Abbaa Gadaa Gobena Hola, Secretary of the Union and Tulema, said that this year’s Hora Arsedi Irreecha festival was celebrated in a way that strengthened unity.

Abbaa Gadaa Gobena together with the Head of the Oromia Regional State Culture and Tourism Bureau gave a briefing regarding the completion of this year’s Irreecha festival.

In his briefing, he emphasized that that this year’s Irreecha festival was celebrated with love and unity in a way that strengthened unity.

The 2025 Irreecha celebration as deeply meaningful, emphasizing that it embodied the values of togetherness and mutual respect, he added.

Celebrations took place primarily at Hora Finfinnee in Addis Ababa and Hora Arsedi in Bishoftu, attracting millions of participants from across Ethiopia and beyond.

“This year’s celebrations welcomed people from various ethnic backgrounds,” he noted, “offering a profound display of peace, love, and unity that reflects Ethiopia’s rich cultural mosaic.”

Held under the theme “Irreecha for the revival of the country,” the festival underscored Irreecha’s role in promoting national cohesion and cultural identity. Participants widely echoed this message, describing the Hora Arsedi gathering as a powerful symbol of Ethiopian brotherhood and unity.

In addition to cultural significance, the seamless organization of the festival was also praised.

Abbaa Gadaa Gobena extended heartfelt appreciation to government institutions, security forces, service providers, and the public for their coordinated efforts, which ensured the festivities proceeded smoothly and without incident.

Meanwhile, Abbaa Gadaa Keta Biru emphasized the festival’s spiritual essence.

“Irreecha is a celebration of peace, forgiveness, and unity,” he affirmed. “It is our duty to pass these values and traditions to the next generation with respect and care,” he told ENA.

The Irreecha Festival served not only as a cultural celebration but also as a vibrant holiday for unity, reaffirming shared values and strengthening the spirit of togetherness among Ethiopia’s diverse communities, he concluded.

Beyond its cultural beauty, this year’s Irreecha Festival resonated deeply with Ethiopia’s broader journey of transformation and development.

Rooted in the Gadaa System, the traditional socio-political and cultural governance framework of the Oromo people, it embodies gratitude, peace, and social harmony.

Over the years, Irreecha has evolved into a national symbol of unity and coexistence, bringing together millions from diverse backgrounds.

Jamila Simbru, the head of the Oromia Regional State Culture and Tourism Bureau, said that this year’s Irreecha was celebrated colorfully and in organized manner.

He said that both in Hora Finfinnee and Hora Arsedi, the people celebrated Irreecha in a colorful manner, wearing traditional costumes and strengthening unity.

Source: https://www.ena.et/web/eng/w/eng_7463423

“…Daaniyaan humna guddaa dha; humna guddaa kanaan eenyummaa keenya, jireenya keenyaa fi egeree keenya caala guddisuudhaan waan har’a arganne caala kan boru gochuu dandeenyu akka jirutti akka yaadnuu fi akka nama waa mo’achuu danda’utti akka hojjannu kan nu barsiisuu dha.
Kanaaf, waan maatiin keenya, abbootiin keenya nuuf godhaniif galata galchaa, naamusaa fi aadaa warri keenya nu dhaalchisan eegnee yoo jireenya keenya itti fufne, egereen keenyas, waanti nuti babaannus caala guddachuu danda’a…”

Daaniyaa is a highly significant concept in Waaqeffannaa, the traditional Oromo religion. It is not merely a word but a profound spiritual and philosophical principle.

Here is a detailed explanation of its meaning and significance:

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Definition of Daaniyaa

Daaniyaa can be translated as “curse” or “divine retribution,” but this simple translation fails to capture its full depth. It is best understood as:

The inevitable, cosmic consequence for violating Safuu (moral and natural law).

It is the automatic, self-executing principle of justice maintained by Waaqa (God) to ensure balance and order in the universe.

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Core Principles of Daaniyaa

1. Cause and Effect: Daaniyaa is a universal law of cause and effect. If a person commits a moral wrong—especially a severe one like murder, incest, betraying a guest, or breaking a sacred oath—they set in motion a chain of consequences that will result in their suffering or downfall.
2. Automatic and Impersonal: Unlike a curse cast by a person, Daaniyaa is not a personal spell. It is an impersonal, cosmic mechanism. Waaqa, as the sustainer of order, does not actively “punish” the individual; the violation itself disrupts the cosmic balance, and Daaniyaa is the re-balancing effect that inevitably follows.
3. Can be Collective: While it can affect an individual, Daaniyaa can also befall a family or an entire community if the transgression is communal or if the community tolerates a grave injustice in its midst.
4. Intergenerational: The consequences of Daaniyaa can extend to the offspring of the wrongdoer. This reflects the Oromo understanding that actions have long-lasting repercussions that can affect future generations.

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How Daaniyaa Manifests

The effects of Daaniyaa are believed to be severe and tangible, often taking the form of:

• Unexplained illnesses and chronic sickness.
• Persistent poverty and failure in endeavors.
• Barrenness in land, livestock, or people.
• A string of misfortunes and untimely deaths within a family.
• Mental distress and social isolation.

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The Relationship Between Daaniyaa, Safuu, and Araara

To fully understand Daaniyaa, it must be seen in relation to two other key concepts:

Concept	Relationship to Daaniyaa
Safuu (Moral/Legal Code)	Safuu is the law. Daaniyaa is the automatic penalty for breaking that law. Living by Safuu is how one avoids Daaniyaa.
Araara (Reconciliation)	Araara is the only remedy for Daaniyaa. If a person commits a wrong, they must proactively seek reconciliation. This involves confessing the wrongdoing, seeking forgiveness from the victim, performing a cleansing ritual, and often paying compensation (Gumaa). A successful Araara ritual is believed to stop the effects of Daaniyaa and restore cosmic and social balance.

The Cycle: Violating Safuu → Invokes Daaniyaa → Requires Araara → Restores Balance.

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A Practical Example

• The Transgression: A man kills another man in a fight.
• The Violation: This is a gross violation of Safuu.
• The Consequence: The killer and his family are now subject to Daaniyaa. They may experience a series of misfortunes—their cattle die, their children fall ill, their crops fail.
• The Solution: The family must seek Araara (reconciliation) with the victim’s family. This involves elders mediating, the killer confessing, paying Gumaa (compensation), and both families participating in a ritual (like sacrificing an animal and swearing an oath of peace). Once Araara is achieved, the Daaniyaa is lifted.

Conclusion

Daaniyaa is a cornerstone of Oromo ethics and spirituality. It serves as a powerful social and religious mechanism that:

• Upholds Justice: It provides a divine assurance that wrongdoing will not go unaddressed.
• Deters Transgressions: The fear of Daaniyaa encourages individuals to live ethically and according to Safuu.
• Promotes Reconciliation: It makes the process of Araara not just a social formality but a spiritual necessity for healing and survival.

In essence, Daaniyaa represents the Oromo worldview’s deep belief in a self-regulating, moral universe where balance, justice, and harmony are the ultimate realities.

(A4O, 29 September 2025) Irreechaa celebrations in Melbourne have become a notable expression of Oromo culture, bringing the local Oromo diaspora together to honor traditional values and strengthen communal bonds.

The festival typically features blessings by elders, cultural performances, music, dancing, and communal meals, all designed to replicate the spiritual essence of Irreechaa as celebrated in Oromia.

Festival Highlights in Melbourne

– The celebration is usually held at riversides or parks—often at the iconic Wilson Botanical Garden—to maintain the symbolic tradition of giving thanks to Waaqa (God) by water.

– Community leaders and elders lead the prayers and blessings, paying homage to nature and ancestral wisdom.

– Attendees wear traditional Oromo clothing, display cultural ornaments, and use symbolic colors such as black, red, and white.

– Music, and dances (including Siiqqee and Gumii) are performed to educate and entertain both the Oromo community and local Australians.

Purpose and Impact

– The event fosters Oromo cultural identity and unity among diaspora members.

– It serves as a platform for educating younger generations about heritage and traditions, helping them maintain a connection to their roots.

– Many celebrations invite local government officials, multicultural organizations, and curious residents, encouraging mutual respect and intercultural exchange.

Growth and Community Engagement

– Participation has steadily grown, with increased efforts by local Oromo associations to expand outreach and inclusivity.

– Social media and diaspora networks play a crucial role in organizing, publicizing, and preserving the festival’s traditions, even reaching Oromo youth who may be distant from their homeland.

Irreechaa in Melbourne embodies both cultural pride and adaptation, allowing the Oromo community to sustain meaningful traditions while building bridges with the wider Australian society.

Participants took memorable photos with family, friends and each other and shared them on social media.

All those who participated in this celebration filled with love and respect are saying that they remember it with joy.

Irreechaa is a festival of wisdom that Oromo have contributed to the world community, which promotes gratitude, peace, reconciliation, hope, life, social harmony, community bonds, connection, mutual assistance, sharing, harmony and morality.

Irreecha is a gift of wisdom from the Oromo people to the world, promoting a model of sustainability, community, and gratitude.

It eloquently frames Irreecha not just as an Oromo cultural event, but as a universal celebration of universal human and ecological values. The breakdown into these seven pillars—Thanksgiving, Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Peace, Sharing, Morality, and Harmony—provides a powerful framework for understanding its profound significance.

1. Thanksgiving

Irreecha is a day of thanksgiving. God is making an invaluable contribution to all creation with His power and ability. It is the day of Irreechaa when they give thanks together for what God has given them.

2. Forgiveness

Irreechaa is a day of sincere forgiveness. A person who has a conflict thanks God by forgiving each other.

3. Reconciliation

Irreechaa is reconciliation. When conflict is resolved, or forgiveness is made, reconciliation takes place.

4. Peace

It is about peace. It’s about unity, it’s about love. It is about being respectful and being brother with other people. These values are applicable to all people. Irreechaa is useful not only to Oromo but to all nations, and nationalities of the country.

5. Sharing

Irreechaa is about sharing time with those who have and those who do not; it is a time of mutual assistance. It is a time to share what they have with family and neighbours with joy and love. On the day of Irreecha, it is to share what one has with the one who does not have it or to give what one has to one’s heart; this is considered as a blessed act because it is loved by God.

6. Morality

Morality is the highest law and ethics to be maintained amongst creation. If there is morality, then the relationship between nature is just. Irreechaa plays an important role in maintaining the relationship between nature.

7. Harmoney

Any person participates in Irreechaa. Irreechaa includes not only human being but also nature. It is a symbol of the combination of nature and the human beings. It is a festival where human beings express a unity to nature and give thanks to God. That’s why we say Irreecha is an inclusive national festival.

This description highlights why Irreecha is so central to Oromo identity and philosophy (Oromummaa) and why its messages are indeed applicable to all people. The emphasis on nature not just as a backdrop, but as an active participant in the celebration, is a crucial and distinguishing feature of the festival.

These values are applicable to all people. Irreechaa is useful not only to Oromo but to all nations, and nationalities of the country. This aligns perfectly with the view of many who see Irreecha as a gift of wisdom from the Oromo people to the world, promoting a model of sustainability, community, and gratitude.

By Staff Reporter   

September 21, 2025 (A4O) The Oromo Irreechaa Organising Committee in Victoria is preparing to celebrate Irreecha in Melbourne on 28^th September 2025 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Head of the Committee, Ob Abdeta Homa said the celebration is to strengthen and promote Oromo culture, particularly the Irreecha celebration in Melbourne.

Irreechaa is the annual Oromo people Thanksgiving Day that is celebrated every year in Birraa near the river bank or water. This year’s celebration will be held at Wilson Botanical Park, 668 Princes Highway, Berwick, VIC, 3806.

Irreechaa is celebrated every year in the end of September or beginning of October in various part of the globe where the Oromo community resides.  

 The celebration in Melbourne will be held in the context of the country while cultural values of the Irreecha celebration are maintained.

The Irreecha would be celebrated by all Oromos regardless of difference in religion, region and gender to celebrate and promote the identity of the Oromo people.

Irreecha is the celebration of peace, unity and cooperation where the celebrants carrying bunch of straw and daisies in their hands praising, blessing and praying Waaqa in their songs.

The Irreecha festival is celebrated every year at the beginning of Birraa (Spring), new season after the dark and rainy winter season.

The Oromo people celebrate Irreechaa not only to thank Waaqaa (God) but also to welcome the new season of plentiful harvests after the dark and rainy winter season associated with nature and creature.

Irreechaa in Exile

Irreechaa is not only practiced among the Oromo in Oromia and around the world where diaspora Oromos live. As hundreds of the Oromo are in exile for different reasons, their culture, religion, language and identity also exiled with them. Thus, Irreecha is celebrated in Oromia and around the world where diaspora Oromos live especially, Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Australia, South Afrika, Europe and North America.

“Because Irreechaa has a cultural ambiance in connecting the people to Oromo land and the creator, Waaqa, it still remained as strong element of connection between the Oromo in diaspora and home – Oromia,” Mr. Dabessa Gemelal said.

In the past fifteen years or so, the Oromo across different parts of the world (from Toronto to Melborne and Bergen to Johannesburg) have come together and celebrated Irreechaa as a common icon of their identity.

If anything could be mentioned in bridging the differences (political and religious) within Oromo in the diaspora, Irreechaa has become the major binding force not as a mere cultural or religious practice but for its conjoint constitution of culture and identity.

Currently, Irreechaa has got publicity among the non-Oromos (Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians alike) to the extent that city administrations in different countries recognized the celebration and granted the Oromo with the spaces for the ritual.

Irreechaa brings people closer

 On Irreechaa festivals, friends, family, and relatives gather together and celebrate with joy and happiness. Irreechaa festivals bring people closer to each other and make social bonds.

Moreover, the Oromo people celebrate this auspicious event to mark the end of rainy season, known as Ganna, was established by Oromo forefathers, in the time of Gadaa Melbaa 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 September or the 1st Sunday of the 1st week of October according to the Gadaa lunar calendar has been designated as National Thanksgiving Day by modern-day Oromo people.

Irreechaa celebrations as a means of promoting Oromummaa

According to the Irreechaa Organising Committee, all Oromos in Victoria are expected to take part in the celebration.

“What a wonderful time we had on a cooler than typical spring day in 2025 enjoying all that the Irreechaa Festival presented, Ob Abdeta Homa added.

After many years’ unseen events, the first national Irreechaa Festival was held in 1991 in Oromia, East Africa and later became an annual event, which now runs for five weeks, and is one of the most pleasant reminders in Oromia that spring has definitely sprung!

 “Here in Australia, Melbourne, we continue this fabulous event every year since 2009.

“The celebrations are unique in that the Melbourne celebration has come again and that contributes to the development of Oromummaa in the Diaspora,” Ob Abdeta said.

In the traditional religion of the Oromos, the spirit is the power through which Waaqaa  (The Almighty God) governs all over the world. Thus, Oromos believe that every creation of Waaqaa has its own spirit.

Thanks to God for all the blessing

This festival is a spectacular show of cultural, historical and natural beautification in their full glory at the height of the season. It has spawned somewhat of a science of knowing just when the blooms will peak at blooms and decline, depending on the wind, rain, and sunshine they get.

Now it is the beginning of 2025 Irreechaa celebrations, the premier holiday of the Oromo people marks the end of the dark-rainy season and the beginning of a blossom harvest season.

It is in Oromo tradition to gather at the river banks and lakes shores to give thanks to the almighty Waaqaa for all the blessings throughout past years and ask for Araaraa (Reconciliation), Nagaa (Peace), Walooma (Harmony) and Finnaa (Holistic Development) for the past, the present and the future.

Irreechaa is a cherished annual cultural festival that reflects the rich history, customs, and traditions of the Oromo people—one of Africa’s oldest indigenous communities. This event serves as a powerful means of bringing people together, fostering cultural pride, and strengthening connections within the Oromo community and the broader multicultural fabric of Victoria.

“The event is very important for our community as it brings the community together and helps to connect and share experiences in their day-to-day life.” Mr. Danye Defersha, member of Irreechaa Organising Committee said.

The festival honors the wisdom and blessings of elders, preserves Oromo heritage, and promotes cultural awareness, harmony, and understanding among all Australians. It is also an opportunity for young people to connect with their roots, build confidence in their identity, and share their unique cultural values with others.

And Mr. Danyes’ message is to wish Irreecha a source of solidarity for all. “Together, we can make our destiny better everywhere.”