☕Learn about the legendary Coffee Ceremony in Eritrea and Ethiopia☕
Coffee in Tigrinya is ቡን, 'bun' and in Amharic it's called ቡና, 'buna'
Coffee and the coffee ceremony form a core part of Eritrean and
Ethiopian culture and way of life. Coffee is always enjoyed in company,
it signifies friendship, respect, and the coffee ceremony is a sensory
celebration like no other. It is a beautiful way to honour the elders in
the community, slow down and take a moment to give thanks for life.
Firstly, the coffee cups are all arranged on a low table along with
snacks like popcorn. Freshly cut grass is displayed on both the floor
and the table and sweet incense, such as francincense and myrrh is burnt
as a way to clarify the space and carry away any bad spirits. The coffee
ceremony begins by washing and roasting fresh coffee beans on an iron
pan called mitad, ምጣድ, in Amharic, or mogogo, ሞጎጎ, in Tigrinya. The pan
with the freshly roasted coffee beans is then taken round so everyone
can inhale the aromatic scent. After, the coffee beans are ground in a
mortar and poured in a traditional clay coffee pot called jebena, ጀበና,
with boiling water so that the coffee can be brewed. Once the coffee has
been brewed, it is then poured into small cups until each of them is
full.
The coffee grounds are brewed three times; the first round is called
awel, ኣወል, in Tigrinya and abol, አቦል, in Amharic; the second round is
called kal'ay, ካልኣይ, in Tigrinya and tona, ቶና, in Amharic; and finally,
the third round is called baraka, ባራካ, in both Tigrinya and Amharic,
meaning 'to be blessed'. Joining in for all three rounds
transforms and blesses your spirit.
Enjoy☕🤎
