how to travel to ethiopia irreecha festival on ethiopia tourist visa

Author - Touristvisaonline Publish Date - 11-05-2020

Ethiopia has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa recently.

The factors that make the country stand out are:-

Ethiopia’s Historic Culture.
Ethiopia’s Cuisine.
Ethiopia’s Festivals.
Ethiopia’s Heritage Sites.

Ethiopia visa policies are also very flexible and an Ethiopian visa is easy to apply.

Indeed, the Irreecha Festival of Ethiopia is a world-renowned tourist attraction. Hence, all the more reason to have your bags packed this vacation.

The Irreecha Festival

City and Location of the Irreecha Festival

Addis Ababa is the national capital of Ethiopia. Most of the visitors go through the capital upon reaching Ethiopia.

Around 50 km away from the capital there is a small town named Bishoftu. For the last 150 years, the festival has been taking place in the town of Bishoftu. But, last year the event took place in the capital rather than in the Oromia region.

The gathering for the festival consists of millions of natives. They can be seen wearing traditional clothes, preferably white.

Thanksgiving in Ethiopia

People from all over the Oromia zone come to celebrate the festival. People use personally as well as public transports, apart from that visitors also come on foot. All together they fill the streets of the city while dancing and singing.

The involvement of the capital city of Ethiopia in the festival has increased lately. It has started hosting the celebration as well. Addis Ababa saw a huge turnout of people in its first celebration in more than a hundred years. It is a very special time for the country’s biggest ethnic group, the Oromo. They celebrate their annual thanksgiving at this time.

One of the rituals of Ethiopia Irreecha festival is to thank God for the new season of spring. They express their sentiments by putting flowers in water. Irreecha is not only a celebration but also a coming together of people from all over the world. People who visit Ethiopia for tourism also enjoy the celebrations. All they need is the Ethiopian Tourist Visa.

The celebration is a chance for non-ethnic people to experience Ethiopia.

All the things about Irreecha Festival

Irreecha is considered as the thanksgiving of the Oromo people. It was initially celebrated in two times of the year, in different parts of Ethiopia. One major celebration used to occur in September by the Irreecha Beirra. The other was Irreecha Arfaasaa celebrated in April.

History of Irreecha

Although, in the beginning, the event did not have any political colour. But, the Ethiopian powers used to clampdown on the celebration. The Oromo people have been opposing this attitude of the rulers for many years.

After a long-lasting fight for their culture and their rights, the people finally won. The festival now features traditional and individual identity if the Oromo people.

The traditional flavour of the festival can be seen in various sections of Oromia. Irreecha brings together thousands of people from all over the nation. It also involves non-ethnics from other parts of the world.

The popularity of the Irreecha Festival

Non-nationals are usually people visiting Ethiopia for business purposes, holding Ethiopia Business Visas. Ethiopia and its Irreecha festival have also become an attraction for tourists.

Irreecha has become one of its kind event in Ethiopia.

No other event matches its popularity in Africa.

People who belong to the Oromia community consider the festival and its importance. Oromo people living in different parts of the world recognize the festival. It has become a globally renowned celebration.

Reason for Ethiopians to Celebrate Irreecha

In many religions, Rainy Season has a very special significance spiritually. A lot of beliefs have been formed over the years since man’s evolution of Rain. Oromo also believes it to be the blessings of Nature or God himself.

The struggle of the Oromo People

Even before the time of colonization, the people of Ethiopia used to celebrate rain. It was looked at as a special time of the year. For them, it marked the ending of their sufferings and the beginning of prosperity. It has become a custom for people to gather around in large numbers near the edge of the coasts. It is a ritual to offer flowers to God to pay their homage and tributes. Rain and Harvest are considered blessings by the Oromo people.

The victory of the Oromia

This day also marks the victory of the Oromo people. People who were considered primitive for their beliefs, for hundreds of years. They are now free to celebrate their culture which gives hope for a better more bright future.

Ancestral beliefs and customs are also taken into account in this festival. Elders of the tribes pay homage to their ancestors and pray for the harmony and peace of the people of the nation.

Which Ethiopian People celebrate Irreecha?

The Irreecha festival is predominantly celebrated by the people of Oromia. During the festival the driving belief is to thank God for His blessings as Rain and the Harvest.

History of the Oromoia region of Ethiopia

There are some 16th-century documents and records available written by an Ethiopian Saint. They account for the history of the Oromo people.

The records mention that the Oromo used to live together and worship the same God. They also used to have cattle and animal herds. Their leaders were appointed through elections and avoided any aristocracy.

The Oromo people later subdivided into two groups based on their languages.

Oromo used to be one of the largest regions of Ethiopia.

It used to be one of the biggest ethnic groups of the African continent.

Read Also: Best Places To Visit In Ethiopia

Visiting Ethiopia during Irreecha

Visiting Ethiopia during Irreecha is comparatively more elegant than other times. The cultural celebration is at its peak during this time of the year. Glittering colours and lights provide the experience of life to the visitors. Due to the seasonal change the region is filled with flowers which are very soothing to the soul.

To experience the Irreecha Festival first hand you must visit Ethiopia. All you need to do is have the proper documents required to visit Ethiopia.

Nowadays, it is easy to apply for an E-Visa for Ethiopia online and plan your trip ahead of time.

There has been an increase in globalization and heavy movement of people, recently. As result tourism in Ethiopia has also seen a boom.

Process for applying Ethiopia Visa is very simple and easy.

First of all, choose the type of visa you would like to have.
Collect the documents required for the process.

(Such as Passport, some pictures, vaccine certificate, etc.)

Fill out the online visa application form.
Read all the instructions carefully before proceeding.
Check the validity of your passport, at least 6 months is required.
Make sure the passport has 2 or more blank pages.

Ethiopia offers a lot of facilities for Visa applications. You can easily find Ethiopian Visas under the following categories:-

Ethiopia E-Visa.
Ethiopia Tourist Visa.
Ethiopia Business Visa.
Ethiopia Visa on Arrival.