Heritage project
Exciting News!
We're thrilled to announce the launch of "The Future of the Eritrean Coffee Ceremony: Building Bridges Between the Generations" project in Newcastle upon Tyne! Thanks to the generous support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we're embarking on a journey to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Eritrea through the cherished tradition of the coffee ceremony.
This project aims to educate the younger generation of the T&W Eritrean community in Newcastle about the art of roasting, grinding, and brewing coffee, as well as the performance of the traditional coffee ceremony. Through weekly workshops, classes, and a celebratory event, we're bridging the gap between generations and fostering a deeper appreciation for our heritage.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to the Heritage Fund for believing in our vision and supporting initiatives that strengthen cultural connections within our community. Together, let's keep the spirit of the Eritrean coffee ceremony alive for generations to come!
Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming events and workshops. Join us in celebrating and preserving Eritrean culture in Newcastle upon Tyne!
ERITREAN COFFEE CEREMONY - ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Coffee Cultures: Eritrea and Ethiopia
APRIL 29, 2015 by Stefanie Spencer
In Eritrea (pronounced er-ih-TRAY-uh), coffee is not merely something that starts on a timer and brews into to-go cups, but it is a ceremony, a ritual, a meaningful time to sit down with friends and family to chat. Many Americans have such fast-paced lives that they miss many important things, like time with friends and family. In this culture, however, they take time to enjoy coffee or tea together.
According to one website, “Ethiopia is the only (coffee) producing country in Africa with a traditional coffee-drinking culture. This tradition is reflected in the Coffee Ceremony, a daily ritual performed by native Ethiopian women. Village women gather in one of the neighbor’s homes to share news and nourish friendships.
Buna Time: A Crash Course in Ethiopian and Eritrean Coffee Tradition
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have stumbled across an amazing Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurant in the Charlotte, NC area. When I say stumble, that’s literally what I mean – I’m super clumsy and stumbled into the door of the restaurant. Despite my awkwardness, the owner of the restaurant welcomed me with open arms. She was gracious enough to discuss with me the traditions and values of the native cultures. In the few hours that we chatted, she mentioned that the restaurant holds traditional coffee ceremonies for all willing parties on Sundays and I knew I just had to attend.
East African Coffee Ceremony – History & Preparation
While the origin of coffee is unknown, it is generally believed that coffee stems from the forests of Ethiopia. Legend has it that a local goat herder noticed that his livestock had quite a bit of boosted energy after eating some of the coffee beans.
Homage to coffee: A colorful nature of Eritrean culture
Exhausted bodies need long hot bath or may be long hours of nap to revive energy, as drained minds need some space with any kind of relaxant, one of which is coffee. The scent of ground coffee and refreshing aroma of steaming espresso machines is a welcoming nature of the downtown streets of Asmara and other towns in Eritrea. Almost every café in most cities of the country, especially the capital Asmara, happens to own magnificent models of espresso machines and magnificent people that operate them..
Coffee is a traditional brew in most ethnic groups of Eritrea, each of which possesses variety of ways in preparing the coffee ceremony. Taking the Tigrinya culture for instance, coffee is prepared as a gesture of warm hospitality especially for guests that come a long way. However, drinking coffee in Eritrea is not just about pouring a concentrated coffee beverage into a cup or whatever sort of chinaware is used for that purpose.