How to Prepare Coffee Like an Ethiopian: Buna Ceremony埃塞俄比亚的咖啡仪式

陈伟济

Got a clay coffee pot， an intense caffeine addiction， and 1-3 hours to kill？ Then let’s make some buna！手邊有个陶土咖啡壶，一时极想喝咖啡，又有一到三个小时可消磨？那就来煮点布纳尝尝吧！

Buna is the Amharic word for coffee. In Ethiopia， coffee is so deeply ingrained in the culture that one does not simply have a cup of coffee. One must participate in the glory that is Buna Ceremony！ Now you might be thinking that ceremonies are for special occasions. But not coffee ceremonies， my friends. Coffee ceremony is done in every Ethiopian home every day up to 3 times a day！

1. Get dressed   Traditionally， the ceremony is carried out by the woman of the house （though I know a few men who make great buna！）. If this is a special day， or if guests are being served she will wear traditional clothing. For a more casual ceremony， she will throw a traditional scarf around her shoulders and head.

2. Set up   First and most importantly， the jebena. This is the clay pot essential to making Ethiopian coffee.

Start your fire in your little charcoal stove and let the coals get nice and hot. （Skip this step if you have an electric or gas stovetop.） Set out the small wooden box that holds all of the little coffee cups. This is called a rakabot. Then， lay grass out on the floor. The fresher， the better. This is a sign of freshness， cleanliness， and a welcome to guests.

3. Pop your popcorn   It would not be a coffee ceremony without a large basket of popcon being passed around as the host demands you eat more and more！

4. Wash the coffee beans   In Ethiopia， the beans are fresh！ No ground Starbucks coffee from a bag！ We have to rub off the lush Ethiopian soil by putting the beans on a metal pan， pouring water over them， and scrubbing them by hand.

5. Roast the coffee beans and WAFT   The host will roast the beans on a metal pan over the charcoal fire. I can still hear the familiar sound of beans shaking around in a hot metal pan signifying the start of buna ceremony！ When the beans are perfectly roasted the host will pick up the pan， bring it to the guests and waft1 the smoke all over your face. Guests should inhale and compliment the nice toasted coffee smell. Try not to choke here.

6. Pound the beans   The host will usually go outside， place the beans in a big wooden mortar and pound them with a metal pestle2. I have tried my hand at this step and it is much， much harder than it looks. （Another cheat—although the aromas and tastes will not be let out properly， weaklings3 can use an electric coffee grinder for this step.）

7. Boil water in the jebena   The host will rejoin her guests at her place in front of the rakabot with the charcoal stove to one side. She will fill the jebena with water and put it on the coals. Now she can chit chat with guests and continue to ensure that they are eating their share of popcorn. When the water is really rolling…

8. Add coffee into the jebena   I have never been able to get an exact measurement for this step. Maybe because every Ethiopian mother makes coffee better than everyone else. But in my experience， you add one spoonful for each person drinking coffee. More or less depending on the strength. Put the jebena back on the charcoal for a little bit， then take it off and place it in the round holder to cool a bit.

9. Pour with sugar   Small coffee cups called sinis （similar to espresso shots） are filled with sugar. Ethiopians prefer their coffee very sweet， at least three rounded teaspoons in each little cup. It is worth trying to see how Ethiopians enjoy their coffee， but it is ok to ask for no sugar.

10. Light incense   When the charcoal is unoccupied by the jebena， the host will throw on some frankincense4—enough to smoke up the whole room with a warm， pleasant aroma！

11. Enjoy！… Two more times！   Don’t drink and dash after only one cup！ A full buna ceremony consists of 3 rounds of coffee and to leave before might be seen as rude. This is where the bulk of coffee ceremony time is spent. Do not fret—there will be plenty to keep you entertained！ Catching up with other guests， chit-chatting with the host， playing with small children， singing， dancing， and endless snacks. Be sure to let your host know how good the coffee is.

In recent years， many young Ethiopian women have become entrepreneurs by opening their own “buna bets” on the streets of Ethiopia. If you want a quick shot of caffeine， absolutely support these local ladies. If you want the highest quality coffee and the full cultural experience， then I suggest you find a buna ceremony by visiting a culture house in any city （which can be pricier） or—the best option—make a friend！ Ethiopians love to invite guests into their homes to show off their buna skills！

布納在阿姆哈拉语里是咖啡的意思。在埃塞俄比亚，咖啡文化根深蒂固，人们不是简简单单地喝杯咖啡就完事，而是一定要参加布纳这一隆重的仪式！这样一说，你或许在想：仪式是特殊场合才有的。朋友，咖啡仪式可不是这样。在埃塞俄比亚，家家都有咖啡仪式，每天多达三次。

1. 穿上传统服饰   传统上，仪式由家中的女性操办（不过我认识一些很会煮布纳的男性）。如果是特殊日子，或有客人在，她会穿上传统服饰。更随意的仪式上，她就披上一条传统围巾，围着头和肩膀。

2. 布置   最重要的是叫作jebena的一种陶壶，煮埃塞俄比亚咖啡不能没有它。

点着小炭炉，把木炭烧红（如果有电炉或汽油炉请跳过这一步）。摆好要放全部小咖啡杯的小木箱，小木箱叫rakabot。然后在地面上铺上草，草越新鲜越好，象征清新、干净和对客人的欢迎。

3. 爆爆米花   咖啡仪式一定得有一大篮子爆米花传着吃，同时主人还会一再请客人多吃。

4. 洗咖啡豆   在埃塞俄比亚，咖啡豆是新鲜的！不是星巴克袋装的咖啡粉！我们必须把咖啡豆上埃塞俄比亚的肥沃泥土洗去——放在一个金属盘上，浇上水，用手搓洗干净。

5. 烘烤咖啡豆，闻香   主人将用炭火烘烤金属盘上的咖啡豆。我甚至可以听见咖啡豆在烤热的金属盘上翻动的熟悉声音，这是布纳仪式开始的标志。咖啡豆烤好后，主人会夹起烤盘送到客人面前，让客人闻咖啡豆飘出来的香味。客人闻后应予以赞美，这个时候可不要呛到了。

6. 捣碎咖啡豆   通常，主人将走到屋外，把咖啡豆放进一个木研钵，用金属研槌捣碎。这个步骤我亲自试过，要比想象的困难得多得多。（还有一招可让你蒙混过关：柔弱的人可以使用咖啡研磨机——不过香气和味道都会打折扣。）

7. 烧开陶壶里的水   主人会进来陪同客人，坐在小木箱前面，旁边放着炭炉。她会往陶壶里倒水，然后放到炭火上烧。现在她可以跟客人闲聊，同时继续招呼客人吃爆米花。当水开始沸腾……

8. 往陶壶里添加咖啡粉   这一步我一直没能掌握好分寸。也许是因为埃塞俄比亚的妈妈们煮的咖啡才是最好的。但我的经验是，根据人数一人一勺，多一点还是少一点要看口味。把陶壶放回到炭火上烤一小会儿，然后拿下来放到圆形托架上冷却一下。

9. 放糖   小杯咖啡“西尼斯”（像浓缩咖啡）装满了糖。埃塞俄比亚人喜欢喝很甜的咖啡，一小杯至少放三满匙糖。埃塞俄比亚人喝咖啡的方式值得尝试，但你也可以要求不要放糖。

10. 点香   炭火没有用来烧陶壶时，主人会往里面投些乳香，让整间屋子充满沁人心脾的芳香！

11. 品咖啡！……再喝两杯！   不要喝了一杯就匆匆离开！一次完整的布纳仪式要喝三个回合，提前离开会被看作不礼貌。咖啡仪式的大部分时间就是这样度过的，别愁！会有很多事情可以消遣——和其他客人搭搭话，同主人闲聊，逗小孩玩，唱歌跳舞，还有吃不完的点心。记得一定要跟主人说咖啡很好喝。

近些年来，很多埃塞俄比亚的年轻女性在埃塞俄比亚大街上开咖啡馆，自己当上了老板。你要是想快速品尝咖啡，一定要支持这些当地女性。你要是想品尝最好的咖啡并深入体验当地文化，那么我建议你参观城市里的文化馆，体验布纳仪式（价格会更贵），或者最好是交个朋友，埃塞俄比亚人喜欢邀请客人到他們家里做客，炫一炫他们的布纳技艺。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖选手）