Selfies and singing as Ethiopians celebrate thanksgiving

Four young women wearing white robes pose for photos.Amensisa Ifa / BBC
Amensisa Ifa
BBC AfricaAddis Ababa & Bishoftu

Tens of thousands of vibrantly dressed Ethiopians descended on downtown Addis Ababa for an annual thanksgiving festival this weekend.

Irreecha is celebrated by the Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, and takes place at the end of the country's main rainy season.

Two men wear fur on their heads and across their shoulders. One holds a shield.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

Each year, festival-goers gather around sacred rivers and lakes to thank their creators for the greenery that the rains have brought.

"I've been celebrating Irreecha for the past nine years," 25-year-old Moata Abdulmajid (pictured below) told the BBC.

"To me, Irreecha represents my identity, it reflects the pride and greatness of my people."

A man with an open robe and white headband carries a wooden stick.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

Men, women, the elderly and the young all join in, adorned in eye-catching clothes and jewellery.

They sing, dance, share stories and place freshly cut grass and flowers in water - a symbol of life, renewal and hope.

A girl wearing a white dress and white shells in her hair smiles. Shhe carries a bunch of yellow flowers.Amensisa Ifa / BBC
Four women wearing striped dresses hold yellow flowers.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

Irreecha does not only attract people from across Ethiopia, attendees fly in from around the world.

"I came last year - it was so good, so beautiful, I brought my children with me this year," says Claire (pictured second from right), from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

"It is amazing. Everybody wants to say hello, everyone wants to give you a kiss and say welcome."

Festival attendees, adorned in jewelry, hold plants in their hands.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

The first day of the festival took place on Saturday in Addis Ababa. On Sunday, festival-goers travelled to Bishoftu, a small town just outside the capital.

Although the Irreecha has its roots in indigenous faith systems, it is now observed by the majority of Oromos, regardless of their religion.

A huge crowed of people, mostly wearing white, is pictured from aboveAmensisa Ifa / BBC
A young girl, sitting on someone's shoulders, peers above the crowd. She wears a striped outfit and beaded headpiece.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

In the past decade, the number of people attending the festival has increased dramatically. This is partly due to the rise of social media, where many young people document their outfits, dancing and singing during the festival.

Three girls, wearing white robes and wooden staffs, smile for the camera.Amensisa Ifa / BBC
Seven men pose for the camera, wearing scarves around their head and white tops. They carry wooden staffs.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

In the past, Irreecha was used as a platform for anti-government protests - the Oromo people have long complained about political and economic marginalisation.

However, this year's celebration unfolded peacefully, with an emphasis on joy, unity and cultural pride.

A boy smiles in the direction of the camera, while the rest of the crowd (out of focus) look in a different direction.Amensisa Ifa / BBC

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