Ethiopia: the story of coffee

Although it might not be known, Ethiopia gave the gift of coffee to this world! Ancient legend tells the story of Kaldi, an Ethiopian herder who lived in the Kaffa-region, believed to be the first to discover the mythical properties of coffee.

He was so amazed at the dancing of his goats after they had eaten some berries from nearby shrubs where he decided to try some of the ripe, red "Cherries" for himself. After eating the cherries he felt as energetic as his goats and he told his discoverie to the monks of a nearby monastry. When the monks started to eat the cherries they found out that they could pray for hours without getting tired.
Coffee quickly evolved into a ceremonial religious drink keeping the monks awake during their long hours of prayer.

Still Kaffa in West-Ethiopia is the place where you find the oldest and largest coffee plantations for the production of export quality coffee. Also the Sidama YirgaChefe coffee is famous for its quality. This makes coffee the main export product of Ethiopia. It takes 3-5 years of perfect combination of sun, shade and rain before an Arabic coffee shrub produces its first mature cherries which contain the two green seeds, which we know, and value as coffee beans.

In the 17^th century Arabic traders brought the secret of coffee first to the Arabic countries and not long after to Europe where it soon became one of the most popular drinks.

The Traditional Coffee Ceremony

This is an important social event among nearly all the ethnic groups of Ethiopia. It brings people together to spend many cosy hours together. A complete coffee ceremony will last minimal 2 hours.

On a carpet of fresh grass and flowers are placed different attributes and on a charcoal fire the green coffee beans are roasted in a small metal pan or on an iron plate by the housewife or one of her daughters, on holidays mostly dressed in beautiful traditional dress. When the beans are burned deep dark brown she goes round with them and all the guests smell the odor of fresh roasted coffee. Incence is burnt and she grinds the coffee and puts it in a Djebena (clay coffee pot) which contains boiling hot water. She heats the coffee until it boils and the Djebena is put on a round stand for a while to let the coffee grounds settle to the bottom. She serves the guests the strong coffee with much sugar in small cups and after the first serving round which is in the first place for the most important guests, a second and third round follow from which the third round has the weakest (most watery) coffee because every round the Djebena is filled again with water without adding more coffee.

Drinking Coffee

KAFFA COFFEE is our time tasted language
Calling our great family of one great world
To the stimulating warmth
Of our Ethiopian peace offering

KAFFA COFFEE is the chosen seed of our first gods.
It is like "the child is the father of the man."
It is like the plant is the flesh of the African sun.
That “the fear of God is beginning of wisdom”
Was first manifested by our ancient ancestors
Who sacrificed for Him their "best fruit of earth",
This, our most treasured golden brown gift
From our most gifted Ethiopian earth.
"let us have coffee" is our first call.
It is our way of inviting the world
Towards the call for lasting friendships.
It is our prelude towards the stem of love.
It is our way of gentle gesture
To make our world more livable.

Making coffeeTo share our cup of coffee
Is in order only to build
The bridge of our togetherness
For our world brotherhood
To share our cup of coffee
Is in order only to share
Our chosen offer of God’s gift
With our family of one humankind.

By Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin
Ethiopië’s dichter