Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
Coffee is a daily routine and an integral part of Ethiopian culture and history. The ritual is unique to the people of Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.
Coffee holds a special place in Ethiopian culture, and the majority of the crop is consumed locally with great ceremony. This contrasts with other origins where coffee is primarily a cash crop for export.
The ceremony is a regular show of hospitality and community, usually taking about an hour from start to finish. The senior-most woman roasts and grinds the coffee fresh before brewing it in a jebena (brewing pot). She serves the strong liquid and adds boiling water to brew it two more times.
Preparing and Roasting the Beans
The coffee beans (Buna) are first carefully cleansed by repeated washing. Roasting is done in a flat iron pan called Biret Mitad (roasting plate), placed on a small charcoal stove.
The beans are moved carefully to roast evenly until they crackle and release their rich aroma. The roasted beans are then put on a plate and carried around the room so guests can enjoy the fragrance, often using their hands to waft the vapors towards them.
Crushing the Beans
After cooling, the roasted coffee is crushed using a stone block or a wooden mortar and pestle. Water is boiled in the clay pot, the JEBENA.
Once the ground coffee is ready, it is added to the boiling water inside the jebena. Spices like Cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon might be added based on the region to create flavor variety.
The pot is removed from the heat and placed into a matot (woven straw holder) to allow suspended particles to settle.
Ethiopian Coffee Cups
The strong coffee is served in very small, handleless porcelain cups called sini. The coffee contains no milk but lots of sugar; in countryside areas, some people add salt.
The cups are put on a wooden tray called a Rekebot (low table), which is set on the floor atop a ceremonial carpet.
Equipment & Serving the Coffee
- Incense: Frankincense (taken from a moodai) is put onto the girgira (incense burner) and ignited. Its smoke is believed to carry away any bad spirits and confers a sacred quality upon the ceremony.
- Setting: The area is sprinkled with fresh green grass (Goosgwaze) to denote sacred space. On special occasions, fragrant flowers may also be used to adorn the area.
- Host: The person performing the ceremony sits upon a small stool.
Ethiopian Coffee Ritual
- Serving Order: The oldest male is served first as a sign of respect. The youngest child typically does the serving, symbolizing a connection between all generations.
- The Rounds: A total of three rounds are served. The first round, the strongest, is called Abol. The second is Hueletanya, and the third is Sostanya.
- Tradition: According to tradition, it is acceptable to drink only one cup or three cups, but not two.
The Art of the Pour
Proper pouring is a skill mastered over many years of practice. An expert completes the actual pouring from a height of about one foot. The goal is to display poise and grace by delivering an uninterrupted thin stream that “rings overjoyed” in the tiny cups.
The Yebuna Kourse
Kolo (a mixture of freshly roasted barley, peanuts, and seeds) or yebuna kurs (a snack of bread or popcorn) is ordinarily served with the coffee. This food may be presented to the guests on a mesob – werk (small straw table).
The Transformation
The ceremony is a relaxed time for people to share stories, feelings, and bond with one another. In both quiet and conversational settings, it is expected that a transformation of the spirit occurs.
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is steeped in religious symbolism and historical tradition, and may take one to two hours to complete.
