Body Painting
Among the omo peoples body painting with clay is usually related to rituals and transitional phases. The first menstruation, the birth of the first child, the death of a family member, illness in the family and the killing of an enemy are all events that give rise to the body painting.

As the combination of patterns and colors is specific to the circumstances, body painting sends visual messages so that everyone can see who is in a specific traditional phase and who has participated in which ritual.

Painting the body or Parts of it on purely aesthetic grounds is rare. The kind of Body decoration is usually reserved to the distant cattle camps Where Young men and girls stay for long periods.

The majority of omo peoples associate white with herding cattle, herders cover their body entirely to better see each other from a distance, Body Painting in the cattle camps is also seen as an informal playful event and an expression of freedom.

Unfettered by social control and the rigid communal life, young People in the camps are free to experiment. This seems to be the case especially with the Suri who have traditionally been the people most interested in body painting in the omo valley.

In addition to the playful dimension, there are obviously aesthetic aspects involved the search by the young for renewed results in the application of Combinations of colors and patterns.

Lip and Ear Plates
For the Mursi and Suri, the lip plate is an expression of female social adulthood reproductive potential. Like so many other forms of body ornamentation in world cultures, it is a bridge between the biological and social.

That is why a woman throws her lip plate away when her husband dies and does not wear one anymore. The lip hanging loose then shrinks gradually to a withered thick lip.

For the mursi and suri themselves, the lip plate is a visual expression of what it means to be a woman it turns a girl in to a woman, someone who can bear or has borne children. That is why the lip plate is inserted when the girl reaches puberty and is fifteen or sixteen years old.

At that time her mother or another female relative will make a horizontal incision in her lower lip. The incision is kept open with a wooden plug, which remains there until the wound has healed.

After that, almost every evening a plug of a wider diameter is inserted. This process goes quickly and after a few weeks, the girl can already wear a lip plate.

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Veganism is a recently very hip and trendy culture. It’s safe to say, it has taken over the world. The main reason people are adopting this diet is because of the health benefits. But here, in Ethiopia veganism is a deeply religious experience tied to the Ethiopian Orthodox and Catholic Churches. The rest of the world calls it veganism; we call it “Ts’om”.

It’s a period of reflection, where you would distance yourself from things you have become accustomed to. It’s a great time to test your character and will, to also share in the suffering Jesus went through. like lent, but rather than being practiced only during Easter, it’s practiced throughout the year, it’s like surrendering the flesh to the soul, making the will of the flesh so weak that the strength of the soul rises. Another way to look at it is that the flesh would be too weak to sin.

Say you normally eat three times a day, during Ts’om some would fast from morning till 3pm or 6m, just after the “Kidasse” (A religious service conducted according to liturgy) is over, and when you eat, you will eat with abstinence from all meat and dairy products, like a vegan diet.

Isn’t there something about self-denial that just makes the spirits grow? You tend to keep away from bad habits, even that harmless glass of wine you would lightly drink after work. Instead you consider the less fortunate. “The eye is kept from seeing, the mouth from speaking and the ear from hearing evil things.” (mt. 5:21-30; Yared-Digua)

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church has its own laws and instructions of fasting; accordingly there are seven fasting periods

throughout the year.

1. The Great Fast or Lent
   This is the fast Jesus Christ fasted for forty days and nights after getting baptized. It is practiced following his example. From March (Hidar) 07- April (Miyazia) 30. It’s also considered to be the greatest for two reasons: It is the Lord’s fast; and through this fast it is thought Satan’s appeal of love of money, greed, deceitfulness and arrogance are overcome.
2. Wednesday and Fridays
   Every week of Wednesday and Friday is considered as a fasting day with few exceptions. (During the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost, and during the days of Christmas and Epiphany). Wednesday is the day the Jewish council made a consultation to crucify Jesus Christ on Friday. We fast on this day remembering his death sentence. Friday is the day where Jesus Christ was crucified and the hope of salvation fulfilled. We fast in remembrance of that date.
3. Nineveh
   The reason behind this fast is that the people of Nineveh were saved from the wrath of God through prayers and fasting. This is a three day fast; Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. It falls once in January and again in February.
4. Gehad
   This fast falls on the eves of Christmas and Epiphany, only. If one of these holidays falls on a Wednesday or Friday, the day of fasting will be on Tuesday or Thursday.
5. The Fast of the Prophets or Advent
   It starts on November (Hidar) 15 and goes up to December (Tahisas) 28.this fast is practiced before Christmas celebrations, following the examples of the prophets who were fasting and praying in their time wishing upon the arrival of Christ.
6. The Fast of the Apostles
   This fast was practiced after the apostles were encircled by the Holy Spirit and set out to proclaim the Gospel. It starts from the day right after White Sunday. Sometimes it goes past forty days and sometimes it’s as short as thirty days.
7. The Fast of the Ascension of the Holy Virgin Mary
   This fast lasts 15 days from August (Nehassie) 1 to 15 in remembrance of the Apostles that went for a retreat and fasted for two weeks, praying to God to reveal this mystery to them. After learning the departure of Mother Mary while they were taking her body for burial at Gethsemani, the Jewish priests dispersed them. Here, the Angels took her body to paradise and put in under the Tree of Life.

Now that you know enough about the Ethiopian fasting process, May I interest you in a variety of authentic vegan Ethiopian dishes?

Let’s start with my personal favorite,

• Misr Wott (red lentils stew)– is a delicious and wonderfully tinted mixture of split red lentils slow cooked with spicy berbere powder, onions garlic and oil (vegetable or olive) (Depending on the ingredients, it may be look lighter or darker)
• Shiro Wott (ground chickpea powder-based stew) – is a mouth-watering dish slow-cooked with Ethiopia’s spicy berbere powder, oil, onions, garlic and ginger (you can include or leave out spices as you like). There are several kinds of Shiro to enjoy, from the thin soup-like shiro wott called Shiro Feses to the thick Shiro wott called shiro Tegamino.
• Gomen (stewed collard greens) – This is a scrumptious healthy dish of stewed collard greens packed with vitamins, usually slow-cooked with olive oil and garlic.
• Fosolia (string beans) – another delightfully healthy and flavored dish cooked with string beans often sautéed with oil, carrots and onions.
• Shimbra Assa (Spicy Chickpea Stew) – A beautifully colored seasoned dish cooked with chickpea flour is shaped into small dumplings and gets sautéed with a berere sauce, onions and oil.
• Alicha Kik(yellow split pea stew)– split pea often slow-cooked to perfection with a light turmeric sauce. Alicha are non-spicy dishes that vary depending on the exact spices and uniformity of the lentils and sauce.
• Ye’Ts’Om Beyaynetu (the vegan platter) – is a combination platter with a delicious mix of mostly lentils, vegetable stews and collard greens. The mixed Ethiopian vegan plate offers a little bit of everything with incredibly tasty variety. The flavors and ingredients are unbelievably delicious together.

Between the ambiance the feel and tradition, eating Ethiopian food after a long fasting day is very rewarding and colorful. If you haven’t had the Ethiopian vegan cuisine before, I hope you get inspired to experiment. With the deep fasting experience and the mouth-watering cuisine, life can’t get any better!

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There are several social events happening among Ethiopian society. Passing away of someone, mourning and funeral as well as wedding are among the major social events that are dealt as big affairs among Ethiopian communities.

Death is the saddest event that human being come across in life. Upon death of a person mourning is a big deal and funeral a big affair in Ethiopia. And Ethiopians have an elaborated tradition of mourning upon death though there are variations from region to region, and also variations among rural and urban dwellers.

The way people mourn and funeral services vary among the various ethnic, religious and cultural groups. In some parts of the country like southern Ethiopia, the mourning period before the actual funeral will take a long for good preparations of the funeral and to express the grief with also relatives and friends who come from afar.

In Ethiopia, people express their grief openly and loudly with wailing, and even by beating chests, and causing pains against bodies. While mourning beloved member of family or a relative, Ethiopians grieve bitterly to extent of causing physical harm on oneself. In some parts of the country, for instance, women beat their bodies and scratch their faces and foreheads.

In some places, a singer (most of the time woman singer) comes, especially at a time of the actual funeral, and sings grief song with naming the deceased and mentioning all his/her good characteristics, ways of life and style as well as achievements while he/she was alive.

As people including families, relatives, friends, and acquaintances come in a large number since the very day the death of a person is heard and also in the days after the actual funeral, there need to be a wider house to accommodate the people coming for mourning and for comforting the bereaved families.

And as individual houses are not wide enough to accommodate such a large number of people, it has been a custom here in Ethiopia, especially in urban areas, to putting up tents in the compound or outside the compound of bereaved family.

The funeral service for a deceased person is carried out based on his/her religion and culture. As the burial takes place in compound of church or near to mosques, the place is also decided after the religious group the one that has passed away was following while alive; and if he/she was under, he/she will be laid to rest at a burial place chosen by his/her parents.

During the funeral, only men carry the coffin, and even the procession to the funeral place forms groups of men and women. It is also only men that dig the hole to lay the coffin and carry out other activities at the cemetery.

After the funeral service is completed, the bereaved families sit or stand in row there to be greeted by people who may not go directly to the residence of the bereaved families for various reasons, most often due to urgent business or office work. This is done just to inform the bereaved families that they have attended the funeral as funeral is a big affair here in the society.

Coming back to the residence of the bereaved families after the funeral, people enter the set up tents with washing hands at the gate of the tent. Young people coordinate the washing and other services including serving foods, drinks, and coffee.

After the funeral, mourning and bereavement will go on for more days at home as there will come also relatives, friends, and acquaintances of either the deceased or members of the bereaved family for consolation and to comfort the family. It is a custom among Ethiopians to visit bereaved families with foods and drinks.

People come to mourn and comfort anytime from the actual funeral. The first three days after the funeral are different days when people come in huge number to visit the bereaved families.

It is customary among followers of Ethiopian Orthodox Church to commemorate the 3rd, 7th, 12th, 40th, 80th day, and the first year anniversary of the deceased with preparing foods and drinks to be served primarily for needy people.

Wedding is the happiest moment of life. Death and wedding are the two extremes, and even there are Ethiopian wedding songs that compare and contrast between these two events. Wedding is given special place among Ethiopians. Although wedding is differently celebrated by different ethnic and religious groups in the country, they also share similarities with most activities.

There are also different types of marriages by different cultures. Wedding in urban areas, especially in major cities like Addis Ababa is narrated as follows:

Marriage in urban areas is held upon agreement between the two partners. And their wedding is given special place. When a gentleman wants to marry a woman, he sends elders (Shimagles), most of the time a group comprises 4-5 elder people, to parents of his fiancé; and the elders are chosen by the groom as he believes they have profound knowledge about him, and they are also good speakers.

They need to have all the information about the man, including his families, childhood background, income, educational status, characteristics, and big achievement if any. Some days before the Shimagles go to the bride’s home, her families are informed that guests would come at a fixed day so that they would be prepared by setting other businesses aside and wait for the guests that day.

After conversing with the parents on the fixed day, the Shimagles would be told to come again another day fixed by the bride’s parents to announce their permission for the marriage and discuss the way the wedding ceremony would take place. On their second visit to the bride’s parents, the Shimagles take a gift with them to the parents, and the gift varies depending on the religion and culture of the parents.

This day the bride’s family announces their permission for the marriage and may request a person, among the Shimagles, who is to be bestowed special responsibility to ensure that their daughter would be in good hands while she is under the marriage.

Then the wedding day is fixed and preparations start to take place as there will be special foods and drinks prepared for the wedding ceremony. Wedding ceremony in Ethiopia, both in urban and rural areas, takes place with huge expenditures whatever it costs.

As wedding is given special place among the society, families, relatives, neighbors, and friends can make financial or other forms of contribution to have a successful and joyful wedding of the bride and the groom.

Some days before the actual wedding ceremony, neighbors and friends, particularly young men and women, start to come together at the houses of both the bride and her groom, especially in the evening, to sing and dance wedding songs. They take some hours to sing and dance until the actual wedding day.

Two-three days before or on the eve of the wedding day, the groom’s best men come to the bride’s house with dowry. In urban areas, the bride’s women take delivery of the dowry watching each items brought for the bride’s future use. With the dowry, the groom tries all his best to convey message that she would be in good hands in the future.

As there will be a big number of invitees, tents are putting up in the compound of the bride’s family, if another venue, most often hotel hall, is not arranged, to host luncheon of the wedding ceremony.

On the very day of the wedding ceremony the groom accompanied by his best men and other companions heads to the bride’s house to pick her to the feast place or to the photo program.

As he enters the house, brothers, sisters, or close relatives stand at the gate blocking the guests not enter the house easily, and the groom’s side first try to pass politely if the bride’s side insists on standing and blocking the gate, the best men appear to push forcibly and clear the gate so that the groom enters and meets with the bride dressed and adorned uniquely.

Before the bride and her groom leave the house, blessing session (mirqat) is conducted by her parents and relatives wishing them pleasant marriage full of health, prosperity, most importantly to have fruits (children).

Then the bride and her groom along with their companions leave the bride’s house kissing kneels of her fathers, mothers, and close relatives as they are sitting in row near to the gate. The feast is held with eating, drinking as well as singing and dancing at the venue prepared for the wedding ceremony.

On the third day of the wedding, the bride and the groom accompanied by the best men and the bride women and other companions come back to the bride’s house for dinner reception. This is locally known by “Melis”. This time, the bride and the groom as well as their companions wear different costume from the wedding day.

They do traditional costume, and like the wedding day the feast is held with eating, drinking, dancing and singing till midnight, even beyond in some places.

After sometime, a day is fixed to bring the relatives of both sides together for acquaintances. This is done at the groom’s house or an avenue arranged by the groom’s family. The wedding ceremony and related programs are concluded here, but members of families of either side take turn to host the bride and the groom for reception.

Fikirte is a regular contributor on the blog. She is a graduate on Ethiopian languages and literature from KETC and in Business Administration and Information Systems from AAU.

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Language
Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic country with a great variety of indigenous languages spoken in the country. A country of up to 90 indigenous languages and more than 200 dialects. The official working language of Ethiopia is Amharic, with its own distinctive writing system, while Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Guraghiegna, Sidama, Somali languages are widely spoken.

English is understood in most hotels, tourist sites, and major towns. The language is also used at various offices. It is also the medium of instruction in secondary and higher education institutions. In addition to English, there are schools, of which medium of instruction are foreign languages such as French, Arabic, and Italian; and there are Ethiopians who speak these languages perfectly.

Time & Calendar
Ethiopia is three hours ahead of GMT. Ethiopia has its own calendar, which has 12 months, each with 30 days; and the 13th month, namely Pagumen with five days, and six days in each leap year. The Calendar is 7 years behind the Gregorian calendar. Ethiopian New Year falls on the 11th of September and the 12thof September on leap year.

Addis Ababa
The name of the city, in Amharic, means “new flower”. Founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II, it is located at 2,500 meters above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto mountain chain (3,000 meters above sea level). It enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25°C. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with interesting museums and one of the largest open air markets in Africa, known as the “Mercato”. Addis is a home for several buildings, monuments, and streets that have had significant historical backgrounds. It has also a good number of restaurants and discotheques.

One of most impressive architectural feat of the time was the EmperorHaile Selassie’s former palace inside sidist kilonear Entoto, which is now housing Addis Ababa University and the institute of Ethiopian Studies’ Ethnological Museum. Exhibits here represent the best of the arts and crafts of the country and give an in-depth insight into the various peoples of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa has various museums, including the National Museum known to be the best museum in Africa, where cultural and archaeological relics, including a plaster cast of “Lucy,” the 3.2 million-year-old Hominid, are displayed.

Today, Addis Ababa has emerged from the strong foundation of its unique history spanning almost a century and half to become a true metropolis of Africa hosting major international conferences, events, peace seminars, festivals and exposition to mention being the seat of the African Union and several other regional and international organizations. With the eminent completion of new roads, electrified railways and entire business and residential districts in sight, Addis is set to become influential and bustling capital of Africa.

Using transportation
There are number of public and private transportations here in Addis and its surroundings. Privately owned and run taxi vehicles are available for 24 hours. Private blue cabs and relatively more expensive yellow cabs are also in plenty in the city but do not have fixed rates except those which have come recently, new yellow taxies. And with blue cabs,establishing the fare is advised before getting into the vehicle, whereas the public transportations like minibus taxi, different kind of public buses and train also available for shared usage, which are the cheapest, despite the crowd during rush hours.

Ethiopian Amharic Phrases
Learn a few words of Amharic. Unlike the Latin alphabet, the vowels in Amharic are contained in the 7 forms of the main characters of the Amharic script, which can make learning written Amharic difficult. But, here are a few words one to cross rivers.

1. Days of the week
Sunday Ihud
Monday Segno
Tuesday Maksego
Wednesday Erob
Thursday Hamus
Friday Arb
Saturday Kedame

2. Asking Directions and some commands

Where is it Yet new?
Where? (Direction Wodet?
Street/road Menged
Where is the hotel? Hotelu yet new?
Where are you going? Yet iyehedek(M)esh(F) new?
Please stop her Ezihkum(M) Kumi(F)
Come Na (M) Ney (F) nu (plural)
Go Hid (M) Hig(F) Hidu (plural)
Stop Kum (M)Kumi (F) Kumu(plural)

3. Frequently used words

Today Zare
Now Ahun
Tomorrow Nege
Yesterday Tilant
Quickly Tolo
Slowly Kes
Mr. Ato
Mrs. Weyzero
Miss Weyzerit
I Ene
You Ante/MEnante/M & F
Ersewo/old person
He, She Esu, Essoa
We Egna
They Ennessu
What? Min?
Who? Man?
When? Metche?
How? Endet?
Why Lemin?
Which Yetignaw?
Yes (allright Eshi
No Aydelem/Ayhonm
Excuse me Ykirta
I am Sorry Aznalehu
Good Tiru/melkam
Bad Metfo
Hello Halo

Good morning EndeminAderk/(M)sh(F)
Good Afternoon EndeminWalke/(M)sh(F)
Good evening EndeminAmeshu/k(F)sh(F)
Good bye Dehnahunu/hun(M)hugne(F)
How are you? Tenayistitilgn/endemenen(M)/esh(F)
You’re welcome Minim aydel
What is your name Simeh(M)sh(F) man no?
My name is Sime______no
Where do you come from Keyetmetu? h (M)sh(F)
I come from Ke__Metahu
My country is Hagere ____no
Can you speak Amharic? AmaregnaTenageraleh(M)esh(F)
Only a little Tinish
I want Ifelegalehu
I like it Tesmamtognal

3. Numbers
1 Aned
2 Hulet
3 Soset
4 Arat
5 Amist
6 Sidist
7 Sebat
8 Semmint
9 Zetegn
10 Asser
20 Haya
30 Selasa
40 Arba
50 Hamsa
60 Silsa
70 Seba
80 Semanya
90 Zetena
100 Meto
1000 shi
10,000 Asershi
100,000 Metoshi

Tipping & Etiquette
While tipping is not mandatory in Ethiopia, it is customary in many circumstances for service, especially at almost all sit-down restaurants which offer table service and many food servers depend on tips as an essential part of their wage. Most well organized restaurants, Hotels and Resorts includes 10% service charge.

Keep in mind that those who provide service are often dependent on tip income and generally are grateful for any tips received, especially when prompt and exceptional service has been provided. Tipping is the means by which to acknowledge good service.

Fikirte is a regular contributor on the blog. She is a graduate on Ethiopian languages and literature from KETC and in Business Administration and Information Systems from AAU.

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Ethiopia, with a very long and rich history, is a home for a population of up to 93.8 million by some estimate and it is  the second most populous nation in Africa.

Ethiopia is a land with diverse cultures of different ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds ranging from Cushitic and Nilotic, like other East African countries, to Semitic like those found in the Middle East. There are more than 80 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, and the country’s name has been mentioned several times in the Bible.

With a hospitality that has transcended time and generations in Ethiopia, visitors truly feel warm welcome and home while they are on visit in the country.

A few words of a local language, no matter how broken they may be, will go a long way in the kind hearts of the people. The day-to-day rituals of the diverse cultures, the traditional ways of eating, using fingers, of Injera (wide and flatbread) with delicious and spicy sauces, and the wholesome aromas of Ethiopian coffee ceremony can only be fully experienced by indulging oneself in these delights.

Ethiopia is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. People behave in way that is considered as an acceptable norm in their respective cultures. Religion is a major influence in Ethiopian life. Their dressing code is also influenced by their religions and cultural backgrounds. People in different parts of the country display different cultures of dressing style, wedding, mourning, and even foods.

Ethiopian greetings are courteous and somewhat formal. Ethiopians greet each other with sense of respect, and especially the greetings are done in more respectful manner with elders or with guests. Bowing is a sign of respect and most people in Ethiopia bow while greeting people.

The most common form of greeting is a handshake with direct eye contact. Greetings should never be rushed, and one takes time to inquire about the person’s family, health, job, etc. If someone is in rush, he has to explain that he is so, that the other side excuses for the rush greetings.

People are addressed with their honorific title and their first name. “Ato”, “Woizero”, and “Woizerit” are used to address a man, married woman, and unmarried woman respectively. Ethiopians call an elderly man, in Amharic, “AbAba”, and an elderly woman “Emama”. A boy can be called “mamush” and a girl “mimi”.

Elders should be greeted first; and it is customary to bow when introduced to someone who is obviously older or has a more senior position, and children are often seen doing so.

Ethiopians are hospitable and like to entertain friends in their homes, for this they invite others to a private home, which should be considered an honor. Punctuality is not strictly adhered to although considerable lateness is also unacceptable.

You may have to remove your shoes at the door. Dress well. Shake hands with each guest individually. A woman should offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after a meal is served. You will always be offered a cup of coffee. It may be considered impolite to refuse.

Ethiopians are relatively formal and believe table manners are a sign of respect. Do not presume that because food is eaten with the hands, there is a lack of decorum. Expect a small earthenware or metal jug to be brought to the table before the meal is served.

Extend your hands over the basin while water is poured over them. A group of people sit around a table for eating food served in a communal plate. Hierarchy dictates that the eldest person is the first to take food from the communal plate.

Nowadays, especially in urban areas, people can be served, at private homes, with a separate plate, despite there are still households that keep the tradition of previous times of eating in a communal plate.

Guests are often served tasty morsels by another guest in a process called “gursha”. Using his hands, the person places the morsel in the other person’s mouth. Since this is done due to respect, it is a good idea to smile and accept the offering. Expect to be urged to take more food. Providing an abundance of food is a sign of hospitality.

The meal ends with ritual hand-washing and coffee ceremony.

Fikirte is a regular contributor on the blog. She is  a graduate on Ethiopian languages and literature from KETC and in Business Administration and Information Systems from AAU.

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In Africa, strangely, coffee drinking isn’t so interesting even though coffee is the native plant of the continent and Ethiopia’s high ranking export commodity. Consumption in Africa is low and sometimes, it is a struggle to get a good cup. Often it is instant coffee served in restaurants and hotels, and this is really quite unfortunate because the alternative would be some light brown overcooked liquid that ones was a coffee bean.

Passion for coffee is something one learns at the early age. It creeps in to your personality as your grow-up, and consuming coffee becomes not only a daily routine, but also a quite moment of meditation .

How to get a good cup in your home?

You can do it the easy way or you can opt to do every thing yourself, right from the start a good way to start would be to ask your good friend, coffee exporter, buyer or processor, to give you some of his finest beans from the farmers or even from your village, if you hail from a coffee growing area.

Check the coffee for any black or damaged beans. Pick them out just as if you are storing rice. Then take a baking tray and cover the bottom of it with coffee, making a finger thick layer. Pre-heat the oven and put the tray inside. Remember to stir the beans from time to time, and keep the heat high but be careful; don’t allow the coffee beans to burn.

How do you know when it’s ready? Well-roasted coffee a chocolate-brown colour and it’s aroma will fill up the house, not to mention the fact that it tends to invite neighbors in call them over, because coffee roasting at home is a social event. Full of anticipation and eagerness to test a good cup also, perfect time to catch up with all the gossip and the embroidery work, and if there is a good soap on TV this is the best recipe to burn to your coffee so be alert to any change of colour, and stir that coffee regularly.

Once roasted, coffee has to cool off. You must preferably blow out all the feather-light skin as the next step. It is said that the electric coffee grinder isn’t the best tool to grind coffee, because it gets to hot and makes coffee bitter, but I haven’t seen any one rejected a cup so if have one, use it. If not, a sharp chopping knife in a blender might do, or even worse- the common mortar and pestle as an alternative though this might take forever.

Ethiopia grows the finest coffee which is called branded ‘Coffee Arabica’ It is a mistake though. Should rather be named ‘Coffee Ethiopica’. Ethiopian coffee growing areas spread from Eastern Harer to the Western Wollega. Here are the best brands the country offers.

Sidamo
Shape and make of the bean is mixed small to- medium round, hardish, burbon type. It has a color of fine quality grey; green-to- grayish blue slightly coated (silver skin) bright, white-to- normal center cut, compact, well developed beans.  Roast and liquor quality has balanced acidity and body of good quality good quality coffee with attractive style.

Limu
Shape and make of the bean is oval-to- oblong shape with pointed or rounded ends. Colour is grayish. It needs an even roast to get a well- balanced of good acidity and body, and fine quality cup. If well done it has an excellent of winy flavor. Limu coffee is one of best washed Ethiopian highland grown coffee

Kaffa
Kaffa is where coffee is believed discovered from and even the name coffee derived. The colour is identical with washed Limu greenish-to- brownish green. When roasted evenly it has a fair light medium acidity and good heavy body.

Gimbi – Nekemte
Gimbi is in the west wollega and the shape and make of the bean is medium-to- large mostly long & with pointed ends. It has a color of greenish/ grey, slightly coasted bright normal white center cut. Its soft appearance good acidity gives it a good quality cup. It tastes slightly fruity.

Harer
Shape and make of the bean is medium-to- large long with pointed ends, generally cleared long berry. Harer coffee with a good roast has quality medium acidity full body with a typical mocha flavor. It is the best highland grown Ethiopian Arabica coffee which attains the highest price in the coffee marketing world known as premium blending coffee.

Yirga Cheffe
Shape and make of the bean is mixed average medium size round – to – oval shape hardish type, good – to – good/fine quality. Its colour is grayish/blue – to – bluish, good quality white – to – normal centre cut, compact well developed beans. Yirga Cheffe has the best highland grown, Ethiopian Arabica coffee with real mocha flavor.

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Article is excerpted from a fantastic book “Touching Ethiopia” by Javier Goza’lbez and Dulce Cebria’n

Meat (sega) can be presented in long strips-zil-zil in small chunks-tibs, fried without sauce- derek’ and boiled or stewed – kekel.

Doro wat, consisting of chicken and hard-boiled eggs served with a spicy butter  sauce, onions chili, cardamom and berbere, can be considered the national dish.

Kitfo is a type of minced meat served lukewarm with a little butter, berbere sauce, accompanied in a special cheese, ayib (containing herbs which give a bitter lemon taste and provide coloring) and chopped spinach.

Kwanta, a beef jerky, prepared by placing strips of meat rubbed with chilli , fat, salt and berbere in the open air to dry.

Dulet consists of chopped intestines mixed with lean meat, then fried with butter, onions, chilli, cardamom and pepper.

Tibs are small chunks of meat fried with fat, garlic, onion and tomato.

Some words, inherited during the Italian occupation, can be used to order certain dishes in restaurants, such as arrosto (roast), (grilled meat), cabretto ( young goat), cotoletta ( rib), manzo (veal), scalopina (scallop) and pasta .

Fasting days in Ethiopia are plentiful: every Wednesday and Friday of the year, 55 days for Lent, 16 days at the Ascension and 44 days at Christmas.

On these days eating meat is forbidden and a number of vegetarian options are available. The most common are atkilt-be-dabo which contains fat or butter-fried vegetables ad dabo fir fir, bread with butter and berbere.

Breakfast is usually enkulal tibs, a kind of omeltte with red and green per person, onions and tomatoes, usually accompanied by bread. An exquisite pulse dish is misr, featuring lentils seasoned by tomatoes, onions, chilli and some spices.

Shiro is a puree made from chick-pea as or peas and served especially on fasting days. A pudding made from barley or wheat fried in fat and missed with bebere sauce is called genfo.

In many parts of the country the bread which accompanies meals is kocho, a highly nutritious soft cake made with the pulp of the false banana or enset.

The most commonly used vegetable and pulses are potatoes, sprouts, onion, beetroot, spinach, tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas. A wide variety of fruits are available in the markets: oranges, mandarins, papayas, mangos, bananas, pineapples, guavas, pomegranates, avocados and more.

Among the river fish, tilapia stands out. When grilled and not too well-done it is an exquisite dish. Other fish including Nile perch, barbell, tiger fish, and trout are also tasty.

For cooking oil, animal fat and butter are usually used, as well as vegetable oils such as nug oil, sunflower (suf) seed oils and cotton oil (teftere).

What to drink? Coffee to Beer

At the end of an Ethiopian meal coffee is always served. Preparation involves an entire ceremony, usually carried out at least twice a day.

Another popular drink is tea or shai which is consumed more in Muslim area. It is served black, with lots of sugar and is often spiced with cloves or ginger. If you prefer it without sugar, ask for it yalle sukwar (no sugar).

Among the alcoholic drinks are, tej – a kind of homemade wine made from honey and the leaves of a local bush called gesho (Rhammnus prinoides): a delicious drink which Ethiopians enjoy with meals. There are variations in strength and wetness.

The dry variety is the strongest. Derek is dry. Mehakalenya is medium dry. And  laslasa or berz is sweet and quite weak. It is served in attractive bottles called birille.

In ancient times tej was a drink of kings but today it is consumed in practically all homes . There are even Tej Bets” (Tej houses), bars where this drink can be sampled.Tella is a kind of homemade beer drunk at all feasts and celebrations.

In many villages the preparation is visible; large receptacles are heated on the fire and a mixture of water, gesho leaves and cereals such as millet, corn barley or malt is placed inside.

The drink is slightly bitter and very refreshing if one is thirsty but the water is not normally filtered. However, there are industrially manufactured beers that are very western and high in quality with complete health safeguards: Bedele, Meta, St George, Amber, Walia, Bati, and Harar are among many. In general Ethiopian beer is mild and  has a pleasant taste.

Arake is a strong liquor sometimes made in villages by means of somewhat archaic contraptions. One of the finest industrially produced, twice-filtered, is Dagem Arake.

Ethiopians do not usually drink wine but some wines are beginning to find a niche for themselves, such as the red wines Goudar and and recently a fantastic one, Rift Valley or Acacia brands are recommended.

Dessert?

It is not customary to eat dessert or fruit after a meal. Instead, coffee is served, sometimes accompanied by popcorn which should be accepted with both hands spread out together.

It is considered good manners to leave a little food on the plate when one has finished eating, above all in rural areas, because otherwise it is taken as an invitation to hunger which could unsettle the household. The meal is concluded by washing one’s hands again.

Dining is a wonderful way to make friends and to increase your knowledge of the country .

Enjoy your meal!

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Among the oromos, the popular garment for men is the weya, a local version of the shemma, which is smeared with butter for extra warmth and impermeability. This is often worn with cotton twill trousers, short or long, full or jodhpurs-style.

Oromo women in some areas affect tunics with sleeves; or the breasts may be left bare, a cotton scarf thrown about the shoulders, and the lower body covered with a leather skirt.

Much crude metal-and-bead jewelry, as well as incised brass bracelets and armlets, is in evidence. Cowrie shells, used for decoration, are seen everywhere; and some women carry their babies in beautifully shell-decked halters. Distinctive local coiffures are achieved with the aid of mud or butter; they are stylized and resemble the hairdos recorded in Hittite and Egyptan art.

Jewelry among outlying tribes is usually made of natural products such as bone, ivory, grass, hair, and shell. Among Christians, a cotton cord called mateb is given at baptism and worn round the neck till death, at timesbeing used to support a cross or other pendant. Leopard and lion claws, feathers, nuts, seeds, wooden beads, horn ornaments, and amber are worn.

Some in lower omo valley are the most startlingly original when it comes to personal adornment and ornate hairstyles. At dassanach, hair is shaved off except for topknot covered with mud. Colobus hair cap and ostrich feather complete the picture.  Black colobus fur and clay combine to make an unusual style. Striking bead necklaces can be worn back or front and cwery shells or sometimes plain buttons are all used for decorative purposes.

Of special note are the colorful costumes of the Hararghe people of eastern Ethiopia. In and near Dire Dawa and Harar the women dress in brilliant veils, thightly fitted velvet, silk, or cotton trousers, vivid printed or dyed over blouses and a profusion of the nomadic women of the Somali, particularly in the ogaden area, do not dress in the bright fabrics of the city women.

They follow their men on foot or camel across the deasert clothed from the waist downward in coarse cotton cloth or skins, their bare breasts covered with simple metal jewelry, and their hair styled in multiple twists or coils, or brought behind each ear in a large bun covered with a net or veil.

Camel hide sandals protect their feet from the blistering sands. These desert dwellers are a tall, proud, striking people and their start attire well complements the muscular beauty of their physiques. Men wear a shamma-like wrap called maro or tob and an elaborate mop coiffure held in place with butter; and of course they carry the very necessary dagger, spear, and rifle.

Among Somali men, one who has killed an enemy may wear an ostrich feather; an ivory bracelet marks the man who has achieved great prowess in battle. Both men and women wear silver, lead and zink jewelry.

Ethiopian religious costume
The Ethiopian orthodox church has a multiple of functionaries and the priest, deacon or nun is a familiar sight, especially in the city, where there are large churches and religious centers.  Priests of Ethiopian orthodox church wear many different types of headgear.  At church service deacons bear a heavy and ornate processional cross of brass.

Priests and deacons dress simply, in a long cotton gown that is a variation of the kemis, a cloche-style hat, sometimes draped with cloth, called a Kob and a cloak of heavy material with a stiff stand-up collar, called a kaba. A fly-whisk, hand cross, or prayer stick (used for support during the long church services) may be carried.

On special occasions the netela worn over the priest’s shoulders has a colorful stripe, and priests of the higher ranks wear richly embroidered bands and a kaba decorated with metallic thread.

Nuns, who leave home when they are old to labor in monasteries, baking bread or caring for the household needs of the priests, wear a simple, full cut kemis of the coarsest material, without ornamentation. A white head-cloth is wrapped about their cropped heads and the older nuns carry prayer sticks for support. Though it may not be visible a cross is always worn about the neck.

Spinning and weaving methods
Spinning in Ethiopia is by no means a lost art. Almost all women can sit down and make the fine cotton thread which will be used to weave the possamer shamma material and the warm heavy gabi, though the dorze people have the reputation for making the best cloth.

The process of spinning and weaving have traditionally been carried out through a division of labor between the sexes, the women cleaning the cotton fillaments and spinning the thread which was then woven by the men folk.

The finest traditional fabrics, however, are still woven by hand on looms that have not changed substantially from those from those used in the time of Christ.

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Even under the progressive nineteenth century monarch, Tewordos, cotton clothing was ordained for the masses, and only aristocrats might dress in silk and brocade. Until the early years of the twentieth century such prohibitions were general throughout Ethiopia.

In the northern regions, only ladies of quality might wear embroidered cloaks and red-bordered shammas; while in southern Ethiopia the color green was reserved for the king, as was the use of golden jewelry.

No more colorful and imaginative costumes could be conceived than those traditionally worn by the Ethiopian warrior. Teworos allowed his soldiers to wear shirts of silk, and the use of animal pelts as part of the military uniform has long been a custom.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, soldiers were wearing specially cut trousers and shirts, with cartridge belt, sword belt and shield of toughened animal hide often the shirt was silk, and the shoulders might be covered with a sheep, goat, or wild animal pelt. Status was indicated by the amount of gold decoration on scabbard, sword, and saddle mountings.

Prowess in battle, indicated elsewhere in the world by medals, might be conceived in Ethiopia in a number of ways. Bracelets, earrings, and neck chains often were worn to show that the warrior had rescued a companion, killed many men, or shown unusual bravely as a hunter.

In the 1930’s an effort was made to popularize the use of khaki cloth among soldiers, instead of the traditional white shirt and trousers that made them an easy mark of enemy rifles. It was not until very recently, however, that the Ethiopian solder wore boots or shoes with his uniform.

Toughened by long marches over rough terrain and a lifetime of barefoot activity, he was able as no Westerner would be, to walk for miles without harm or difficulty. Barefoot cavalrymen secured the stirrups between big and middle toe.

Highland Costumes
In central and northern Ethiopia the Amhara and Tigrean women are usually seen wearing the kemis. A long, full-sleeved cotton gown that is often embroidered at the neck, cuffs and hem.

Some kemis styles are very simple, with a fitted bodice and full skirt; others are more elaborate with overall pleats and gathering about the waist.

According to the area, the kemis may be adorned with cotton thread embroidery in the cross symbol, or studded about the neck and cuffs with small silver beads.

Over the kemis goes a shemma, or light cotton length, usually with a boarder that matches the trimming on the dress.

The shemma is draped over the head and shoulders in a graceful fashion and sometimes held by the wearer over nose and mouth. In cold weather a heavier shemma, or kutta, may be worn, or a concial cape called a bernos.

The border of the shemma and kemis may be richly woven with vivid silk or cotton threads to form a border called a tibeb, which lends richness and dignity to the humblest costume.

The tibeb design may contain geometrical figures, purely fanciful forms, or class symbols such as star and cross; and the width of the border varies from a few centimeters in one case to a quarter of a metre or more in another.

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We do not know, however, just when local cultivation of cotton began, or when the practices of weaving and spinning became widespread.

It has been suggested by various writers that only gradually did cotton replace animal skins and vegetable fibers as the basis for clothing, and that the use of cotton garments was for centuries restricted to members of the aristocracy.

Today in southern Ethiopia women still wear garments made of skins, as do shepherds and workers in many rural areas of the country; and now that the national leather processing industry is producing a large variety of skins suitable for high – fashion wear, leather garments in the modern mode are seen widely among city dwellers.

Nevertheless, cotton remains the fabric of choice among the bulk of the population, which clings to traditional costumes.

The costumes of the Ethiopian people are as varied and interesting as the population itself, reflecting ancient and modern trends in decoration, the fanciful as well as the practical.

Broadly speaking, the basic garment of the highland Ethiopian is the shemma, a length of cotton that doubles as a body and head covering and is often worn in addition to items of modern dress such as a skirt or trousers.

In the streets of Addis Ababa the traveler will see the shemma in all its permutations. Other common items of apparel include the netela, a light cotton showl; the kutta, a heavier version of the netela; the gabi, a coarse blanket- like cloth worn for warmth; and the barnos or cape.

The kemis is a dress of varying length worn by women and decorated with embroidery and a coloured woven border. Children, depending on the family’s income, sometimes wear hand-me-downs from the parents or short dresses, trousers, and shirts. The very young often make do with a single garment, sometimes of animal skin.

A love of ornamentation ruled by a natural affinity for beauty leads the Ethiopians to adorn themselves in memorably dramatic Fashion.

Timeless symbols such as the cross and the lion’s mane have long been used in decoration. Tattooing of the face, neck, and hands, and elaborate traditional coiffures, though no longer the rule with sophisticated city dwellers, are still seen everywhere among country folk.

A profusion of jewelry, whether crafted by skilful smiths of gold and silver or made in the villages of cowrie shells and leather, base metals and colorful beads, is an integral part of the national dress. And rain or shine, above the heads of priests and deacons.

Briefly, in dress as in poltical, cultural, and religious traditions, the Ethiopians follow a heritage that is vital, colorful, and unique. One of the great treats awaiting the visitor is the ever changing pageant of costume that will pass before him as he walks through the cities or drives about the countryside, witnesses a religious ceremony or takes part in a public celebration.

To know something of the history and significance of the garments that will catch his eye should add immeasurably to the tourist’s enjoyment and understanding of Ethiopian society.

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