08/17/2012
The smell of roasting coffee and burning wood caught my attention with the sound of a curious popping and stirring. Breakfast was finished and I wondered what could be cooking over the open fire in the cooks' smoke shack, also know as the kitchen. Ah yes, the comforting, exciting, and enticing smell of roasting coffee came rolling out of the corrugated metal kitchen.
I had forgotten that today is the coffee ceremony and the cooks were preparing coffee for the entire village of Roggie. This wasn't a pot of coffee, it was coffee for hundreds. Somehow I didn’t imagine that it involved taking the raw, green coffee beans and roasting them on a 30 inch shallow wok over an open fire.
I was beside myself walking faster and faster with the thought of experiencing coffee roasting over an open fire. This was not any different than the Ethiopians would have done centuries ago.
My eyes watering and tearing down my checks and no I was not crying for my deep affection of coffee. It was the intense smoke that filled up the small 4x6 kitchen constructed of corrugated metal. Nowhere to step nowhere to move away from the smoke it saturated the room from wall to wall and rolled all throughout the space.
The coffee preparers take us out into the open with a basket full of the roasted beans that have cooled. There is a tree trunk that has been hallowed out and a large stick that fits perfectly into the trunk. It is like a large mortar and pestle. Right before my eyes to my imaginations delight the beans went in the hallowed out space in the trunk and she began to pummel the beans with the stick. Stroke after downward stroke the beans were crushed and ground into submission.
Finally as if I had been a child waiting for Christmas they handed me the magical coffee bean smashing stick. My left hand immediately found a worn smooth section of the stick, but I know my technique was off because my right hand was gripping a rough section. So I received some kind instruction and found the proper hand placement on the worn smooth coffee bean battering ram.
There is just something wonderful about taking part in a tradition, in a ceremony that has been practiced for centuries. It has a foundation that is older, larger, and will live on for future generations. In a time that everyday there is something being pushed on us that is bigger, better, faster and where everything is disposable destined for the landfill. It is a relief almost to experience something that you know will not fade away in a year or two, something that has had existence before you and will continue on long after I'm gone. The real prize is getting to experience this with our new friends from Ethiopia. They were just so excited to share with us their traditional coffee ceremony, their homes, family, and food. It was one of the most welcoming times I have ever experienced. Being able to share something that is larger than yourself with others that has stood the test of time brings a simple and lasting bond that can be experienced and shared beyond culture, race, class and it is the best position to start new and lasting relationships.
