Which Ethiopian harvest celebration is associated with the Sidama people and the start of a new year?

Fichee-Chambalaalla is the Ethiopian harvest celebration associated with the Sidama people and the start of a new year.

The festival is celebrated by the Sidama people of southern Ethiopia. It marks the beginning of a new year in the Sidama traditional calendar and is connected with family reunions, thanksgiving, reconciliation, and the sharing of food after the harvest season.

A central food associated with the celebration is buurisame, a dish prepared from grains and other ingredients according to local custom. Families may visit one another, exchange greetings, and take part in communal dances and ceremonies.

Fichee-Chambalaalla is sometimes confused with Irreecha, the Oromo thanksgiving festival held near the end of the rainy season. Both are Ethiopian cultural celebrations involving gratitude and community, but they belong to different peoples and traditions. The spelling Fichee-Chambalaalla reflects the Sidama name and may vary slightly in English sources.