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Coffee originated in Ethiopia, and the drink remains an important part of the country’s culture. This importance is embodied by the coffee ceremony, a ritualized form of preparing and serving coffee that dates back over 1,000 years. Now, the ceremony could be recognized by UNESCO as worthy of inclusion on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which collects and celebrates humankind’s most important cultural elements.
The announcement was made during Ethiopian Coffee Culture Day, held in Addis Ababa in February, Zac Cadwalader reports for Sprudge. Traditionally performed by women in both Ethiopia and Eritrea, the coffee ceremony is an intricate ritual that involves roasting green beans over an open flame. The coffee is then ground and brewed three times using a jebena, a traditional clay pot, and served to guests over several hours. Coffee ceremonies are held in diaspora coffee shops around the world, allowing customers to participate in this ritual.
Supported by the Ethiopian Heritage Authority and Warka Coffee, the aim is to achieve cultural heritage status, thereby recognizing the importance of the ceremony itself. At the same time, Cadwalader writes that organizers hope to establish Ethiopian coffee as more than a commodity and “further cement Ethiopia’s place in the global coffee network.”
“The Ethiopian coffee ceremony is not merely about drinking coffee; it is a deeply rooted tradition that brings people together, fosters understanding, and strengthens community ties,” Latifa Aba Biya, head of the Jima Town Culture Office, said at the event. “We are delighted to see such enthusiastic participation in this important step towards international recognition.”
Distinct from the conservation of historic sites and monuments, intangible cultural heritage is UNESCO’s way of celebrating and preserving humanity’s customs, traditions, folklore, and knowledge. Receiving cultural heritage status can be a complicated, years-long process; if successful, the Ethiopian coffee ceremony would join Arabic and Turkish coffee on UNESCO’s list.
Read more on the move to enshrine Ethiopia’s coffee ceremony from Sprudge here.
Photo by Daniel Reche
