The Story of Irréchà in Cushitic Ethiopia
By Fayyis Oromia*
In this article, I want to say to my readers—including my critics—may you live a life of Ora-Omo, or Or-omo, that is, a life of the Oromo: a life of resurrection, meaning a life of new beginnings and success throughout your journey. To understand what I mean by a life of Ora-Omo, please enjoy my short essay below.
Life of Resurrection
Let me begin by elaborating on what I mean by “a life of resurrection.” This concept is shared by the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—but its origin appears to stem from earlier faith systems such as Wàqeffannà, as we’ll explore further.
Resurrection is often used today as a metaphor for new beginnings, success, fresh starts, new plans, or new goals after experiencing symbolic death—representing past failures or unsuccessful lives. For the Oromo people, resurrection can symbolize a renewed beginning and success after the political setbacks and struggles in our collective journey for liberation.
So how does Wàqeffannà—the traditional Oromo belief system—understand resurrection?
To succeed in our struggle, the Oromo must strengthen our liberation movement. This means empowering ourselves to take ownership of our destiny. When we celebrate Irréchà (Irressà, Irénsa), we must reflect on its dual meaning: thanksgiving and empowerment. Let us always celebrate Irréchà in both senses—giving thanks to Wàqa (God) and empowering the Oromo nation.
Empowerment happens in two key ways:
- Coming together before Wàqa and committing ourselves to unity and freedom.
- Avoiding all factors that divide and weaken us, such as internal conflict.
My hope is that every Irréchà becomes a moment to empower the Oromo for a fresh start and a more effective struggle toward our goals.
To fully grasp this concept of resurrection—the original idea embedded in Wàqeffannà, and later adopted by the Abrahamic religions—please read on.
The Story of Irréchà
The celebration of the first harvest in Ethiopian spring (in September) is beautifully told by the late Poet Laureate Blatten Geta Tsegaye G/Medhin, an Oromo poet who mainly wrote in Amharic. He narrates:
“12,000 years ago, Asra, the God of the Sun and Sky and the deity of Cushite Pharaohs, had three children: Sete, the older son; Ora, the younger son; and a daughter named Asis (also known as Atete or Adbar). Sete killed his younger brother, Ora. To honor Ora, Asis planted a tree (Oda) on the bank of the Nile where he was killed. She pleaded with her father, the Sun God, to bring peace between Sete and Ora’s families. Rain fell, the tree grew, and this was taken as a symbol of restored peace.”
“Later, in the Stone Age, the tree planted for Ora’s memorial was replaced by a stone statue erected 8,000 years ago. A festival honoring this statue began to be held each September, when the Nile overflowed in Nubia and ancient Black Egypt.”
In Ethiopia, during the pre-Aksumite and Aksumite periods, a grand celebration was held around the statue that Asis had planted in memory of Ora, the son of the Sun God. It was believed that Ora had risen from death—thus the term Ora-Omo or Or-omo—symbolizing peace restored between the two brothers. The festival became a moment of thanksgiving to the Sun and Sky God, celebrated with chibo (fire ceremonies).
The popular song “Eyo Ka Abebaye,” performed during Demera events and the Ethiopian New Year, is said to have originated then. “Ka” was the ancient name of God, passed down by our Cushite ancestors before the emergence of Christianity and Islam. Even today, the Oromo, Gurage, and Southern Ethiopian peoples call God Waka or Wàqa. When we sing Eyo Ka or Eyoha during New Year celebrations, we are praising Ka, the ancient God.
Gadà, or Ka Àdà, is the divine law—the rule of God. The Gadà system is a cultural and spiritual framework that expresses and enforces these divine laws. Just as Japan, China, and India preserved their ancient traditions (Hinduism, Shintoism, Mahabharata) while modernizing, we too must preserve the heritage of our forefathers to progress.
Culture is built from rituals like Chibo and Demera. Irréchà, an essential part of the Gadà system, is the cornerstone of the Oromo New Year. Asis raised Ora’s body from the Nile and planted a memorial statue—just like the biblical story of Abel. Since then, Irréchà has commemorated new beginnings and reconciliation.
Faith and Nature in Oromo Spirituality
The Oromo of beautiful Oromia have believed in one God since time immemorial. Their religion, Wàqeffannà, is the belief in Wàqa, the creator of the universe. Irréchà is a thanksgiving festival where communities gather to offer gratitude and prayers.
In the Gadà system, Wàqeffannà is practiced with reverence and purity. The Oromo, carrying fresh grass and flowers, go to mountains, lakes, or riverbanks to pray—not to worship nature itself, but to find peaceful, sacred places where they can focus on Wàqa. Water is life, green is holy, and such places are believed to be where the spirit of God resides.
In Oromo tradition, the rainy season symbolizes darkness. But when September arrives, the darkness lifts, the rivers clear, the mud dries, and the sunshine returns. This marks a symbolic rebirth. The Oromo people go out to celebrate this natural renewal with deep spiritual devotion.
Ora-Omo: The Resurrected Human
It is fascinating that the word Oromo can be interpreted as Ora-Omo—the resurrected Ora, or the reborn human. It represents someone who starts anew, stronger and more successful after failure.
So whenever we celebrate Irréchà, wherever we are, let us remember to live a life of Ora-Omo—a life of resurrection, renewal, and resilience. This means starting fresh and pursuing success despite past failures, whether those were within our control or not.
May the Oromo people commit ourselves to this vision: a new beginning and a victorious future—both as a nation and as individuals.
Galatôma! (Thank you!)
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2017/04/1 ... -ethiopia/