Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is culture in a cup

By Coletta Wanjohi

Legend has it that coffee was a celestial secret until Kaldi, the mythical Ethiopian goatherd, was led by his dancing cattle to the magical red berries that would give the world its so-called elixir of wakefulness.

Millennia later, coffee has journeyed across continents, built a cult around it, stoked revolutions, animated conversations, and launched a million cafés.

In Ethiopia, coffee isn't just a drink. It's a heritage. Kaldi's Coffee, the East African nation's largest coffee chain, is a tribute to its fabled origins.

A visit to an Ethiopian household makes it apparent that the act of making coffee isn't just about boiling some water, letting the ground beans steep, pouring the brew into a cup, and sipping it.

"When coffee is done the traditional way, it tastes even better," Genetawi Hailu, 45, tells TRT Afrika.

"I grew up learning that having a cup of coffee is an experience that goes beyond fulfilling the need for a caffeine rush."

Elaborate ceremony

A typical Ethiopian coffee ceremony encompasses traditional expertise, warmth, and connection. It's not so much about efficiency as it is about presence. Time seems to stretch to infinity, allowing moments to breathe and stories to unfold.

Ideally, the ceremony would follow a meal, with a mother, a wife or any other hostess from the family donning traditional clothes.

A specific type of grass mat would be spread on the floor or stools arranged for everyone to sit around the hostess.

The process starts with raw, green coffee beans crackling in a heated pan. As the roasting begins, the beans become evenly browned and then shimmering black, releasing their essence.

The beans are ground using a traditional mortar (mukecha) and a blunt-ended cylinder (zenezena) that works as a pestle.

It's now time for the round-bottomed clay coffeepot with a snout, called the djebena, to come into play.

Handleless cups, sini in the native tongue, stand ready while the coffee is brewed. Minutes later, it's time to sip and celebrate the spirit of the phrase "Buna dabo naw", which translates into "coffee is our bread".

Brewing styles

The best baristas are known to have their brewing secrets to give a cup of cappuccino or latte a touch of uniqueness.

In an Ethiopian household, it's all about following tradition and letting the brew do the talking.

A coffee ceremony generally has three brewing rounds, each with a unique name and meaning.

Round one, called abol, obviously yields the strongest and most flavourful coffee. Then comes tona, which is distinctly mellow. Bereka, or the final round, produces the lightest brew.

Home of coffee

For connoisseurs worldwide, some of their coffees are invariably Ethiopian.

The country remains the continent's largest producer of coffee and the world's fifth-largest exporter of Arabica. (Maybe you should explain Arabica)

The Ethiopia Coffee and Tea Authority reports that in 2023, the country exported over 298,000 tonnes of coffee, earning over US $1.43 billion.

Apart from being an exporter, this East African country also consumes a large proportion of its produce.

(Something could be added to the entrance. For example: He emphasises the importance of coffee for Ethiopian as follows) "When we have coffee, we talk. Many conflicts get solved during the course of a coffee ceremony," Genetawi tells TRT Afrika.

Sophia Taddesse, a mother of two, recalls how a coffee ceremony helped her parents and future in-laws bond. "When I first introduced my husband to my family, his family members were served the first cups, and I could tell they felt very welcome," she says.

As children, she and her sisters would yearn for the time they would be taught how to prepare and serve coffee.

"We would look admiringly at our mother and aunt as they presided over coffee ceremonies. Now, every time I do it for my family or friends, the experience fills me with joy," says Sophia.