Ayyaana Irreecha Oromoo: as one of the many ways to celebrate Oromummaa - By Iddoosaa Ejjetaa, Ph.D. | September 26, 2013
Irreecha Oromoo is one of the many ways that the Oromoo Communities have been celebrating Oromummaa, which is neither political ideology nor religious dogma. Oromummaa is a real manifestation of work and life styles of the Oromoo people. Oromummaan jiruu fi jireenyaa ummataa Oromootii. Why do the Oromoo people and respective Oromoo Communities at home and abroad celebrate Irreechaa every year? The way Oromoo Communities around the globe celebrating their indigenous culture is an uplifting. The rationales have given by Oromoo Communities particularly those who are residing abroad are knowledge -based and thoughtful, indeed. The Oromoo people are not only celebrating but also revitalizing and teaching the Oromoo indigenous experience to new Oromoo generation and the world.
I highly commend these Oromoo communities, members and organizers around the globe for being goodwill ambassador of Oromiyaa and its Gadaa culture and traditions. One of such goodwill ambassadors is the Oromoo Communities in Melbourne, Australia. I found a short but concise answer for the question I posed above, and directly extracted from online post for public consumption or educational purposes:
The Irreecha festival is a unique and fantastic cultural celebration that repeats once in a year, and involves special social and cultural activities. It is celebrated as a sign of reciprocating Waaqa (God) in the form of providing praise for what we got in the past, and is also a forum of prayer for the future. It has been observed by the Oromoo people at Odaa Mormor for more than 6400 years and at Odaa Nabee, Hora Harsadii, for the last 1800 years. It has a lot of importance in our community lives. We celebrate Irreecha to thank Waaqa for the blessings and mercies we have received throughout the past year at the sacred places with symbolic meanings, such as hilltops, riverside and shades of big sacred trees. We also celebrate to welcome the new season of plentiful harvests after the dark and rainy winter season associated with nature and creature. Irreecha Festivals bring people closer to each other and make social bonds. On Irreecha festivals, friends, family, and relatives gather together and celebrate with joy and happiness. We celebrate the Irreecha festival to follow our tradition, to work on this fabulous festival and to maintain and preserve the Oromoo culture. The ceremony is celebrated with different kinds of events, such as singing Mareehoo songs, blessing by elders, performing Irreecha rituals and social activities.
As described, celebrating Irreecha Oromoo means celebrating one of the many qualities Oromummaa, which is neither political ideology nor religious dogma. So it should be a sacred duty of every Ilmaan Gadaa Oromoo to celebrate Ayyaana Irreechaa as one family without religious, political and regional affiliations, and uplift their aspiration to revitalize and build the Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa where Abbaa Gadaa Oromoo shall be the father of the Oromoo nation.
Human psychology notifies that if a person looks at himself as a loser, he believes that others see him the same way and most likely he acts like loser. This changes the mind set and make difficult to act as true-self. As long as an individual Oromoo mind occupied with colonial elements, no doubt that the Oromoo will continue to lose the battle. There is no driver who can take two routes at the same time and no soldier who win the battle with double mind or heart. No one can maintain national identity without consciously built nationalism that based on shared- values. At the same time, nationalism cannot consolidate and become a political domain without practicing and living with these shared values such as Oromummaa.
As people of one nation that had made for peace, justice and equality, therefore, every member of the Oromoo family must celebrate Ayyaana Irreechaa as one family without being influenced by external values such modern religion, political parties and regional affiliations. We all are Ilmaan Gadaa Oromoo who would have shared the following fundamental values:
The Nine Basics of Oromummaa: Saglaan Hundee Oromummaa
1. Accepting Afaan Oromoo as the national language.

2. Accepting Gadaa Oromoo as the source of Indigenous Knowledge Reserve Institution.

3. Recognizing Waaqeffannaa as indigenous sources for moral ethics and spiritual

4. Recognizing the Oromoo value systems are based on first among equals where Abbaa Gadaa Oromoo is the Leader of the Oromoo Nation.

5. Pledging to the Oromoo national colors, Fajji Abbaa Gadaa are Black, Red and White.

6. Recognizing Oromoo national defense has based on Abba Duula’s military doctrine.

7. Recognizing Oromoo political system is the reflection of The Oromoo Gadaa Republic.

8. Understanding the Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa is our national identity.

9. Recognizing Oromummaa as a motto for Work and Life styles, Jiruu fi Jireenyaa Oromoo.
Happy Oromoo Thanksgiving, Ayyaana Irreecha Oromoo, 2013!
The Gadaa Republic of Oromiyaa Shall is Free by United Forces & Resources of the Oromoo People!