Selfies and Chanting as Ethiopians Celebrate Annual Thanksgiving
A multitude of colorfully attired attendees gathered in central the city center for the yearly gratitude celebration this weekend.
The festival is honored by the Oromo community, the biggest community, and is held at the conclusion of the land's main monsoon period.
Each year, celebrants gather around sacred water bodies to express gratitude to their creators for the greenery that the precipitation have brought.
"I've been celebrating this celebration for the past nine years," mentioned twenty-five-year-old one attendee.
"To me, this event embodies my cultural background, it demonstrates the dignity and importance of my ethnic group."
Men, females, the elderly and the young all participate, ornamented in eye-catching attire and jewellery.
They sing, perform traditional dances, exchange narratives and place recently harvested green plants and blossoms in liquid - symbolizing existence, regeneration and hope.
Worldwide Participation
The celebration not only draws participants from throughout the country, attendees travel from around the world.
"I came a year ago - it was wonderful, so magnificent, I brought my offspring with me now," said an international guest, from abroad.
"It is amazing. Everybody greets you, everyone shows warmth and says welcome."
Celebration Timeline
The initial day of the event occurred on the weekend in the capital. On Sunday, participants travelled to a provincial location, a settlement close to the urban center.
While this celebration has its foundations in indigenous faith systems, it is now practiced by the bulk of the community, irrespective of their belief system.
Modern Developments
In the last ten years, the number of people joining the festival has expanded substantially. This is partially because of the growth of online networks, where various youth document their clothing, traditional dances and musical expressions during the gathering.
Past Background
In the earlier times, the festival was used as a venue for anti-government protests - the Oromo people have consistently raised issues about political and economic marginalisation.
Nevertheless, the latest gathering took place calmly, with an focus on joy, unity and ethnic identity.
