Gettin' Jittery...

I have often spoken about the awesome-ness of East African hospitality. I promise I haven’t exaggerated a thing. Hospitality is crucially important to the people who live here, and they take it very seriously. I was recently introduced to a hospitality ritual among the Kihaya people in the Lake zone of Western Tanzania.

This area was once celebrated for their coffee trees; there was a time when Bukoba was one of the leading African exporters of coffee in the international markets. Even though the industry is nowhere near as robust as it once was, coffee is still very important to the Kihaya. Therefore, coffee beans, serve as the focal point of true Kihaya hospitality.

A Kamwani (Kihaya word for “coffee bean”) ritual begins when the beans are harvested, while they are still green on the trees. The harvested beans are boiled for as long as 12 hours with herbs and spices, then they are smoked for 2 days or more. When they are done, they are a rich brown color and the flavors have been absorbed through the husk into the kernels. After the Kamwani has been thus prepared, it is offered to every guest that comes into the home. To eat them, you crack open the outer shell with your front teeth then remove the two internal kernels. You chew the kernels slowly and steadily to release the full flavor.

Without Kamwani, there is no Kihaya hospitality. Someone may welcome people into their house, prepare a full meal, rub their feet, kill the fatted calf, but if the hosts don’t offer Kamwani, the guests will leave feeling unwelcomed, complaining about the extreme lack of hospitality.

The word “Kamwani” is used by the Kihaya people to indicate any kind of gift. If someone stops by your house and you’re not there, they may call and say, “Sorry I missed you, but I left you Kamwani,” and when you arrive you find some beer or soda or a covered dish or something.

Almost every coffee-growing tribe has some sort of “Kahawa” (Kiswahili word for “Kamwani” (Kihaya word for “coffee bean”)) ritual. Each ritual varies from tribe to tribe- how the beans are prepared, how their consumed, etc. But in all of these rituals, it is a true sign of sincere hospitality.