Culture of Eritrea
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Culture of Eritrea |
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The culture of Eritrea is the collective cultural heritage of the various populations native to
Coffee ceremony
One of the most recognizable parts of Eritrean culture is the
The coffee grounds are then put into a special vessel, called a jebena, and boiled. A jebena is usually made of clay and has a spherical base, a neck and pouring spout and a handle where the neck connects with the base. When the coffee boils up through the neck it is poured in and out of another container to cool it, and then is put back into the jebena until it happens again. To pour the coffee from the jebena a filter made from horsehair or other material is placed in the spout of the jebena to prevent the grounds from escaping.[citation needed]
The host pours the coffee for all participants by moving the tilted jebena over a tray with small, handleless cups (finjal) without stop until each cup is full. Some of the coffee will inevitably miss the cup but this is done to prevent the coffee grounds from contaminating the brew. One extra cup is poured each time. The grounds are brewed four times: the first round of coffee is called awel, the second kale'i, the third bereka ('to be blessed') and the fourth is called "dereja". However, the "dereja" is not always poured, it is mostly poured when elders are present. The coffee ceremony may also include burning of various traditional incense such as frankincense or gum arabic.[citation needed]
Cuisine
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Eritrean_Injera_with_stews.jpg/220px-Eritrean_Injera_with_stews.jpg)
Typically,
On visiting an Eritrean household, it is polite to decline at least three times if asked to dine. Usually the host will say "bezay kelalem", after which the guest may agree to dine. This process ensures that one does not seem too eager to eat at another's household. When one visits an Eritrean house regardless of whether they are served with food or not, they are always served with hot tea.
Suwa is the name for the home-brewed
In addition, Eritrean cuisine has a lot of
Music
Eritrea has nine ethnic groups, each of which have their own different styles of music and accompanying dances. A common instrument used by many of the communities is the drum. Amongst the Tigray-Tigrinya, the best known traditional musical genre is called guaila.
Religions
There are two major religions in Eritrea,
Visual arts
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See also
- Cuisine of Eritrea
- Literature of Eritrea
- List of museums in Eritrea
References
- ISBN 0932415970.
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan have significant similarities emanating not only from culture, religion, traditions, history and aspirations but also from being in comparable levels of income and economic development. For the most part, the peoples of these countries share common values. They appreciate similar foods and spices, beverages and sweets, fabrics and tapestry, lyrics and music, and jewelry and fragrances. They even compare in sizes and looks and are hard to tell.
- ^ Woldu, Demelash. Exploring language uses and policy processes in Karat Town of Konso Woreda, Ethiopia. Diss. University of East Anglia, 2018.
- ^ It’s coffee time Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine Network Africa Online, April 2008 interview.
- ^ Splinter, Hans van der. "Asmara - bars and pastry's". www.asmera.nl. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Eritrea". U.S. Department of State.
- ^ "Eritrea". U. S. Department of State. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
The country has an area of 48,489 square miles and a population of 3.6 million. Although reliable statistics are not available, it is estimated that 50 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim and 30 percent is Orthodox Christian. Approximately 13 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, while groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include Protestants, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhist, Hindus, and Baha'is. Approximately 2 percent of the population practice traditional indigenous religions. The population in the eastern and western lowlands is predominantly Muslim and predominantly Christian in the highlands. There are very few atheists. Religious participation is high among all ethnic groups