Culture in Ethiopia

Religion, family, etiquette, food, and drink are all important characteristics in Ethiopian culture. As I talked about in my previous blog post, religion plays a big role in how Ethiopians live their day to day lives. The second characteristic is family. Family is valued in Ethiopian culture because family takes precedence over all matters, including obligations such as business. The third characteristic, etiquette, is how Ethiopians show respect for one another. Ethiopians are genuinely nice people, so when meeting a new person, greetings are formal. They consist of a handshake, making sure direct eye contact is given. When two people of the same sex meet, and it is known that they have a personal relationship, they kiss three times on the cheeks. When a male and female meet for the first time, the male must wait for the female to extend her hand first when greeting. Frequently asked questions when first meeting a new person are about your job, health, and family. Words that are typically used to address people are "Ato, Woizero, and Woizrity," referring to an unmarried woman, married woman, or a man. Elders are greeted first, and children usually bow as a sign of respect. The third characteristic is food/dining. When dining at someone else's house, it is respectable to be on time, take off your shoes at the door, be prepared to wash your hands at the table. Because you will be most likely eating with your hands, you will be given a basin with soap and water to wash your hands with before and after you eat. The fourth characteristic are drinks in Ethiopia, the most famous one being coffee. Coffee is almost always served with your meals, as it is known as a national drink. It usually takes an hour to drink. Traditionally, there is a coffee ceremony. The beans are roasted and washed over charcoal, this act is done by a woman or a young boy. There are three rounds of coffee that are served. The first one is called awol, and it begins with the eldest in the room to the youngest. The second round is called tona, this is wear than the first batch because the leftover beans are used. The last round, known as Baraka, is served after the water is boiled again. The coffee must always be sipped slowly. Other popular drinks are tella and tej. These are normally consumed at festivals and weddings. 

Vocabulary:

bunna-coffee

jebena-coffee pot

awol-first round of coffee

tona-second round of coffee

baraka-third round of coffee