Obbo Dirribii Damusee Shares History and Past Struggles of Irreecha Festival

Obbo Dirribii Damusee, an elder with long-standing ties to the Irreecha festival, shared historical insights regarding how the traditional Oromoo thanksgiving celebration evolved. He recalled attending the festival at Hora Harsadi in Bishoftu in 1991 (1983 E.C.), noting that only 14 people traveled from Finfinne to participate that year, compared to just seven people the year before. During those earlier periods, participants faced severe social and political challenges, often celebrating in secret or at night due to political tensions between opposing groups such as the OLF and OPDO, as well as pushback from local authorities. Obbo Dirribii highlighted the vital roles played by Bishoftu elders, youth, and the Maccaa and Tuulama Association in persevering through arrests and hardship to preserve Oromo cultural heritage. He also recounted personal vows, such as allocating 6,000 Birr to buy traditional attire and beads, and remembered being briefly detained by police in 1992 (1984 E.C.) alongside others before being released through the intervention of Laggasaa Nagawoo.