The Magog and Gog of All Beverages

By Adan Makina

teaBefore the advent of modern thermos flasks, the most famous container for the preservation of beverages in Africa was the gourd or Calabash followed by the clay pot then the tea kettle. The origin of tea may be disputed, but in East Africa, it originated in the Kenya highlands. English barons or English settlers to East Africa were the first to establish large cultivations of the tea plant around Mount Kenya. Because of the absolute ownership of the big farms in East Africa, Britain became its major consumer, financier, and supplier. The major distributor of tea in Kenya until recently was an English owned company called Brooke Bond Liebeg. Because Britain played a major role in the colonization of Asia, countries like Japan, India, and Sri Lanka play major role in the world tea market.

The scientific name for tea is Thea (Camellia) sinesis.
In many Somali narratives, tea has been the cause of many divorces. A woman who fails to serve her husband on time becomes a victim of quick divorce. A poorly lit fire or an old fashioned brewing container known as goofoow is often blamed for the divorce. Tea is to Somalis and the English people as coffee is to Americans.

Among the locals in Southern Somalia and Northern Kenya, the period tea was introduced is known as ‘sannadkii biyo fuud’ which refers to 1922 and translates to ‘the year of sipping soup’. From there on, tea became a prominent beverage consumed on a wide scale. The inhabitants of Somalia’s southern regions concocted the name ‘waarikoow’ to refer to a special type of tea that contains more milk than water-a name that is widely used to this day. In northern Somalia, this type of tea is known as ‘barraad’.

kildhiWorldwide, as of 2009, in order of annual per capita consumption, the United Kingdom holds the record for tea consumption followed by Morocco, Ireland, Mauritania, Turkey, and Seychelles.
Inside tea processing factories, tea leaves pass through five different categories or qualities known as ‘sheaves’. The first, second, and third sheaves are of the best quality and major sustainer of the economy or hard currency earner; these three sheaves find their way in the shelves of major shopping centers in Europe, Middle East, and North America. The remaining two-actually of low quality is consumed locally.

From a historical perspective, tea consumption predates coffee consumption as it has been sipped around 2700 BCE according to Chinese legends. Coffee is thought to have originated in Ethiopia where coffee berries have been used for medicinal and ritual purposes for centuries and that its cultivation started about the ninth century before being introduced in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Legend has it that the first person to have discovered coffee was an Ethiopian man herding goat. The significance of coffee was brought to his attention by a goat that consumed the berries and leaves of the plant and then suddenly broke into dance.

In many English speaking countries, a break from work is known as coffee break. Italians call coffee caffe; in Turkish it is Kahve; while in Arabic it is qahwah, and in Kiswahili it is Kahawa. The scientific name for coffee is Coffee arabica and C. robusta

In the United States, a place where ready made coffee can be found is called a coffee shop whereas in other countries it is the coffee house. The machine that grinds coffee is a coffee mill while the one that brews it is a coffee maker.

The origin of Cappuccino is disputed with some people relating various versions. Some are of the view that the name evolved after the defeat and collapse of the mighty Ottoman Empire when retreating Turkish soldiers left behind some of their food rations including ground coffee in southern Italy. An Italian priest named Cappuccin stumbled upon an area where Turkish soldiers had abandoned. The most important commodity that captured his attention was packets of ground coffee which he began to experiment by brewing over fire. Upon tasting, he found it tasteless and then added some cream and from there on evolved the name cappuccino. Others are of the opinion that the name Cappuccino is derived from the color of the hooded robes worn by monks and nuns of the Capuchin order in Italy.

starbAccording to Bloomberg, the top ten coffee growing countries are Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, India, Ethiopia, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico. While Brazil is the leading producer of Arabica coffee, Vietnam holds the lead for Robusta beans.

Tea is grown in Argentina, Bangladesh, Georgia, Indonesia (Java), India, China, Japan, and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). Africa south of the Sahara is much dependent on tea as a preferred beverage.

Those who assume Starbucks coffee to be the best beverage may be mistaken. A taste of waarikoow or Barraad will surely reveal the contrary.

For Somalia, it is tea as usual-every minute, hour of the day-whether at home or away socializing in the Diaspora. Whether served with milk or in black form, the aroma and taste is what consumers give considerable delight. Without tea, there is no cocooing for visitors. Guests feel exuberant welcome with a cup of waarikoow or Barraad-the best brew on earth.

‘There is always space for tea and conversation’, so goes a famous Somali saying. After a long day herding livestock, a Somali herdsman can consume up to a gallon of waarikoow or barraad in one sitting while rehearsing the events of the day to family members. An equal measure of coffee consumption would be enough to afflict arterial malfunctioning or angina pectoris.

For older people, there is the popular belief that tea is a good remedy for headache, distress troubles, constipation, poor appetite, acid indigestion, heartburn, and sour and upset stomach. The agile herdsman who consumes high temperature tea could be susceptible to lip blemish, esophageal cancer, unusual bone diseases, skeletal fluorosis, and other side effects.

Regardless of whether tea or coffee is your favorite, one thing is certain: besides soda, the two remain the most consumed beverages worldwide. For now, they are the Magog and Gog of world beverages.

Adan Makina
WardheerNews
Adan.makina@gmail.com

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