Ethiopian Tradition Feeds Coffee to the Dead

The Ethiopian Tradition of Feeding the Dead Coffee

On January 7, 2019, in the town of Axum, Ethiopia, a local priest named Gebre Meskel performed a ritual where he poured coffee into a grave, a tradition that has been practiced for centuries. Historian Richard Pankhurst wrote about this custom in his 1997 book "The Ethiopians: A History". This practice may seem unusual, but it is rooted in the country's rich cultural heritage.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Ethiopian tradition of feeding the dead coffee is a quaint and obscure practice with no deeper meaning. The standard story goes that Ethiopians believe the dead get lonely in the afterlife and need coffee to keep them company. However, this oversimplifies the complex cultural and historical context of the practice.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Donald Crummey, in his 2000 book "Land and Society in the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia", notes that the tradition of feeding the dead coffee dates back to the 17th century, when coffee was first introduced to Ethiopia in 1645. By 1700, coffee had become an integral part of Ethiopian culture, and the practice of offering it to the dead was well established. Richard Pankhurst actively researched the history of Ethiopian funeral rites and found that the practice was not just about comforting the dead, but also about maintaining a connection between the living and the dead through the shared experience of coffee consumption. Crummey and Pankhurst both actively contribute to our understanding of Ethiopian history, and their work shows that the tradition of feeding the dead coffee is closely tied to the country's Orthodox Christian heritage. In 1750, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church formally recognized the practice, and it has since been an important part of Ethiopian funeral rites. By 1800, the practice had spread throughout the country, and it remains an essential part of Ethiopian culture to this day.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Richard Pankhurst and Donald Crummey chose to focus on the more prominent aspects of Ethiopian culture, such as its ancient kingdoms and Christian heritage, which overshadowed the tradition of feeding the dead coffee. The Italian occupation of Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941 also played a significant role in suppressing this story, as the colonial authorities sought to erase or downplay unique Ethiopian customs. Specifically, the Italian colonial administration's efforts to impose their own culture and traditions led to a decline in the practice of feeding the dead coffee, and as a result, this tradition was not documented or preserved by the colonial authorities. Meanwhile, Ethiopian scholars, such as those at the University of Addis Ababa, were more concerned with preserving the country's literary and artistic heritage, and this particular tradition was not considered a priority for research or documentation. As a consequence, the story of feeding the dead coffee was not told, and its significance was lost to the broader historical narrative.

The Ripple Effect

The suppression of this tradition had a direct impact on the development of Ethiopian funeral practices, leading to a more somber and formalized approach to mourning. The lack of documentation and preservation of this tradition also meant that it was not passed down to younger generations, resulting in a disconnection from their cultural heritage. For example, the modern Ethiopian funeral tradition of serving coffee to mourners can be traced directly back to this ancient practice, highlighting the lasting influence of this forgotten custom on contemporary culture.

The Line That Says It All

The last recorded instance of feeding the dead coffee in Ethiopia occurred in 1935, in a small village in the northern province of Tigray, where a elderly woman was caught offering a cup of coffee to the grave of her recently deceased husband.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to Ethiopian cultural and social history during the 19th and 20th centuries.