The Ethiopian Buna coffee Ceremony: A tradition of the heart

Buna means "coffee" in Ethiopia. The buna ceremony is an important part of Ethiopian and Eritrean culture. During the ceremony, the hostess prepares the coffee in front of her guests and then serves it as a sign of friendship and hospitality.  A buna ceremony is not only about drinking coffee, but also a way of bringing people together! 
Intro to The Big Buna Bash

In an age when coffee is usually consumed on the run, the ancient buna coffee ceremony is a chance to slow down, pull back, and enjoy the moment. To most of us this doesn't come naturally....especially for me!

The Big Buna Bash:
"Why is it taking so long?" they asked impatiently. "My mom and dad can make coffee in two minutes!"  

The beauty of buna is it's potential for connecting people to people and heart to heart, as friends and family gather to share good conversation.....and of course good coffee!

The Big Buna Bash:
My big sister, Bosena, interrupted me.  "My friends think the buna ceremony is really cool.  They say it's like a big party!"  
That's when I got my fabulous idea! I would host a buna party to show my classmates what the ceremony was really about.  

An invitation to buna is a symbol of friendship and respect....but don't expect a quick cup of coffee.  Although caffeine is a stimulant, the buna ceremony is slow and laid-back, as the hostess prepares the coffee in front of her guests.

The Big Buna Bash
"Here in the US, people drink coffee in a hurry," I read from my paper.  "But in Ethiopia, people like to sit together for hours to drink and talk.  It's just like going with your friends to Starbucks, except that at a buna party, we make the coffee right in front of you."

So what goes on in the buna ceremony?  Let's journey through the various stages.

Even before the guests arrive, the woman of the house is busy with preparations.  She dresses in her traditional Ethiopian dress, lights incense, puts out snacks of popcorn or cooked barley, and spreads aromatic grasses on the floor to symbolize abundance.  Then, she brings in the "rekebot", a box-like table.  On this table sits a tray filled with little handle-less cups called "sini'.
When her guests arrive, the hostess greets them warmly and takes her place on the small stool in front of the charcoal fire. It's time to tune out the world and relax!

First, she washes the raw, pale-green coffee beans to remove their husks and other debris.

Next, she roasts them in a flat, long-handled pan, until they turn dark brown and shiny with natural oils.

The Big Buna Bash:
Nana was already sitting in her place on the low stool beside the buna table. She stirred a pan of glistening decaf coffee beans on a portable camping stove.

The roasting process delights the senses: you see the beans turning color, you hear then popping in the pan, and you can smell them roasting as the hostess waves the aromatic smoke in the direction of her guests.

The Big Buna Bash:
"At buna, it is important that every guest enjoy the delicious smell," she said as she held out the pan for everyone to sniff.
Marcus, who was sitting next to me, made an icky face.
"Maybe you don't like the way it smells. but I'm used to it," I said.
"It's a fantastic aroma," Mrs. Hill said, taking a long whiff.

Traditionally the roasted beans were ground in a wooden mortar and pounded with a long, metal pestle.

The Big Buna Bash:
My new friends took turns shaking the pan, and the seeds started to pop.  Then Bosena explained how people ground the beans by hand back in Ethiopia.

After the buna is ground, the coffee is spooned into the jebena (a special clay coffee pot) filled with boiling water, and placed back on the flame.

The Big Buna Bash:
Nana put water in a long-necked clay pot called a jebena and put it on the small camping stove on the floor.  While the water was boiling, she mixed in some ground coffee and put the jebena back on the stove.

When the coffee is ready, a filter is placed in the spout before pouring, to prevent the grounds from escaping.

The Big Buna Bash:
When the steam started pouring from the jebena's spout, we knew the buna was finally ready.

The hostess pours the coffee in a single stream, from the height of about one foot above, until each little cup on the tray is filled.  Often with the help of a child, the guests are served one by one, beginning with the oldest member of the family or an important visitor.

The Big Buna Bash:
Nana signaled for me to do the pouring.  It was my first time!  My hand shook as I splashed hot decaf coffee into the cups on the tray.  I carefully served the delicate little cups and saucers - first to Mrs. Hill, the guest of honor; and then to my classmates, who drank theirs with lots of milk and sugar.

Tradition says that if you drink all three rounds, you will be blessed and your spirit transformed!

The Big Buna Bash:
"Don't forget the one, two, three rule," I  reminded my mom.
Nana winked at me.  "Almaz means that you need to drink three rounds of buna.  The third cup, called baraka, brings a blessing on those who drink it."  The kids gasped and giggled.  Most of my classmates had never even tasted coffee before.

So that's what the buna ceremony is all about.  Now all you need  is to find an Ethiopian restaurant and experience the magic that is buna!

​The Big Buna Bash:
"This was an amazing buna party!" everyone said.
"This was the most wonderful buna party ever," I said.

May your families live in peace, and your children grow and prosper.
May God give you the grace that He gives to buna.