ADDIS ABABA – 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.”