The cuppa that connects us: Coffee drinking across cultures
Paris: Coffee's pop icon status is firmly established — from Starbucks' iconic Frappuccino turning 30 this year to the latest Tiktok trends leading us to try Dalgona or cloud coffee. But beyond fads, coffee has been brewed in ceremonies and sipped in salons across time and geography. Its history is steeped in colonialism; establishments serving it have also fueled revolutionary thinkers.
Today, rising global temperatures and erratic rainfall are hitting farmers hard, leading coffee prices to soar to record highs. But the beverage remains — at least for now — an intrinsic part of world culture. Here's a (non-exhaustive) look at how and why it came to be that around 2 billion cups of coffee are reportedly drunk daily worldwide.
Mythical and spiritual roots
Legend credits an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi with discovering coffee after he'd noticed his goats becoming frisky from eating red berries. While the story is likely apocryphal, coffee — namely the Arabica variety — is indeed native to Ethiopia's Kaffa region, where it still plays a ritual role.
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony, where beans are roasted over an open flame and brewed in a clay jebena, is a moment of pause, hospitality and community.
In Senegal, cafe Touba — infused with Guinea pepper and cloves — originated from Islamic Sufi traditions and is both a beverage and spiritual practice.
In Turkey, unfiltered coffee brewed in a copper cezve is often followed by a reading of the leftover grounds, a centuries-old tradition that is still cherished, even among Turkey's Gen Zs.
In Brazil, the cafezinho — a tiny, sweet shot of coffee — is a symbol of welcome, offered everywhere from homes to street corners.
Finally in 2020, as the world hunkered down during the COVID lockdown, South Korea's Dalgona coffee — instant coffee whipped with sugar and water — exploded on TikTok. Beyond aesthetics, the trend offered people a simple, soothing ritual.
Unique flavours: Cheese, egg and … poop?
Across cultures, coffee has taken wildly inventive forms. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, black boiled coffee is sometimes poured over cubes of kaffeost, or "coffee cheese," made from cow or reindeer milk, in a centuries-old tradition.
Vietnam's ca phe trung (or egg coffee) blends whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk — a wartime improvisation that is now ubiquitous.
Then there's Indonesia's kopi luwak, often called the "Holy Grail of Coffees," made from partially digested beans that have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. Though prized for its smooth, fermented flavor, kopi luwak has been ethically controversial. High demand has led some producers to cage and force-feed civets. Others now promote "wild-sourced" versions from free-roaming animals, but third-party verification has been inconsistent.
From sacred brew to global commodity
Coffee didn't just travel in sacks — it travelled with trade winds, spiritual journeys and imperial ambitions.
Though discovered in Ethiopia, the earliest written evidence of coffee cultivation points to Yemen. There, it earned the Arabic term "qahwa" — originally meaning wine — which gave rise to the words coffee and cafe.
Sufi mystics drank it to maintain spiritual focus during long night chants. The port of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast became a center of trade, shipping beans across the Islamic world and into Asia.
Another legend says that an Indian Sufi saint, Baba Budan, smuggled seven fertile beans from Yemen to southern India in the 17th century, defying an Arab monopoly. That act seeded coffee plantations in Karnataka's Chikmagalur region.
Soon, European colonial powers also grasped the bean's potential. The Dutch planted it in Java, the French in the Caribbean and the Portuguese in Brazil — each expansion driven by empire and built on the backs of enslaved labor. Brazil, introduced to coffee in the 1700s, would grow into the world's largest producer.
Even Australia, a latecomer, has developed a robust coffee culture. Fun fact: Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the flat white in the 1980s.
Cafes: Conspiracies, civil unrest and cats
Throughout history, cafes have been more than watering holes — they've been incubators of ideas, art and revolution.
In 16th-century Istanbul, authorities repeatedly tried to ban them, fearing that caffeine-fueled gatherings could spark unrest.
In Enlightenment-era Europe, cafes offered a cup of coffee and a heady dose of radical thought, frequented by thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau.
In colonial America, coffee became a patriotic substitute for British-taxed tea. Boston's Green Dragon Tavern, dubbed the "Headquarters of the Revolution," hosted meetings of the Sons of Liberty — activists who organized resistance against British rule, particularly unfair taxation and policies that eventually led to the American Revolution.
Over the past decades, cafes have returned as a "third place" — neither home nor office, but somewhere in between. Coffeehouses have also evolved into refuges for modern life.
In the early 1990s, when home internet access was not yet widespread, many cafes started providing public internet access, which drew people to start working from those spaces.
Meanwhile, other cafe owners came up with unusual perks for their businesses.
In Taipei, the world's first cat cafe — Cat Flower Garden — opened in 1998, giving urbanites a cozy space to sip and socialise among feline companions. The trend exploded in Japan and now thrives worldwide, where the blend of caffeine and calm continues to comfort overstimulated cities.
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Times of Oman
6 days ago
- Times of Oman
The cuppa that connects us: Coffee drinking across cultures
Paris: Coffee's pop icon status is firmly established — from Starbucks' iconic Frappuccino turning 30 this year to the latest Tiktok trends leading us to try Dalgona or cloud coffee. But beyond fads, coffee has been brewed in ceremonies and sipped in salons across time and geography. Its history is steeped in colonialism; establishments serving it have also fueled revolutionary thinkers. Today, rising global temperatures and erratic rainfall are hitting farmers hard, leading coffee prices to soar to record highs. But the beverage remains — at least for now — an intrinsic part of world culture. Here's a (non-exhaustive) look at how and why it came to be that around 2 billion cups of coffee are reportedly drunk daily worldwide. Mythical and spiritual roots Legend credits an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi with discovering coffee after he'd noticed his goats becoming frisky from eating red berries. While the story is likely apocryphal, coffee — namely the Arabica variety — is indeed native to Ethiopia's Kaffa region, where it still plays a ritual role. The Ethiopian coffee ceremony, where beans are roasted over an open flame and brewed in a clay jebena, is a moment of pause, hospitality and community. In Senegal, cafe Touba — infused with Guinea pepper and cloves — originated from Islamic Sufi traditions and is both a beverage and spiritual practice. In Turkey, unfiltered coffee brewed in a copper cezve is often followed by a reading of the leftover grounds, a centuries-old tradition that is still cherished, even among Turkey's Gen Zs. In Brazil, the cafezinho — a tiny, sweet shot of coffee — is a symbol of welcome, offered everywhere from homes to street corners. Finally in 2020, as the world hunkered down during the COVID lockdown, South Korea's Dalgona coffee — instant coffee whipped with sugar and water — exploded on TikTok. Beyond aesthetics, the trend offered people a simple, soothing ritual. Unique flavours: Cheese, egg and … poop? Across cultures, coffee has taken wildly inventive forms. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, black boiled coffee is sometimes poured over cubes of kaffeost, or "coffee cheese," made from cow or reindeer milk, in a centuries-old tradition. Vietnam's ca phe trung (or egg coffee) blends whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk — a wartime improvisation that is now ubiquitous. Then there's Indonesia's kopi luwak, often called the "Holy Grail of Coffees," made from partially digested beans that have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. Though prized for its smooth, fermented flavor, kopi luwak has been ethically controversial. High demand has led some producers to cage and force-feed civets. Others now promote "wild-sourced" versions from free-roaming animals, but third-party verification has been inconsistent. From sacred brew to global commodity Coffee didn't just travel in sacks — it travelled with trade winds, spiritual journeys and imperial ambitions. Though discovered in Ethiopia, the earliest written evidence of coffee cultivation points to Yemen. There, it earned the Arabic term "qahwa" — originally meaning wine — which gave rise to the words coffee and cafe. Sufi mystics drank it to maintain spiritual focus during long night chants. The port of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast became a center of trade, shipping beans across the Islamic world and into Asia. Another legend says that an Indian Sufi saint, Baba Budan, smuggled seven fertile beans from Yemen to southern India in the 17th century, defying an Arab monopoly. That act seeded coffee plantations in Karnataka's Chikmagalur region. Soon, European colonial powers also grasped the bean's potential. The Dutch planted it in Java, the French in the Caribbean and the Portuguese in Brazil — each expansion driven by empire and built on the backs of enslaved labor. Brazil, introduced to coffee in the 1700s, would grow into the world's largest producer. Even Australia, a latecomer, has developed a robust coffee culture. Fun fact: Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the flat white in the 1980s. Cafes: Conspiracies, civil unrest and cats Throughout history, cafes have been more than watering holes — they've been incubators of ideas, art and revolution. In 16th-century Istanbul, authorities repeatedly tried to ban them, fearing that caffeine-fueled gatherings could spark unrest. In Enlightenment-era Europe, cafes offered a cup of coffee and a heady dose of radical thought, frequented by thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau. In colonial America, coffee became a patriotic substitute for British-taxed tea. Boston's Green Dragon Tavern, dubbed the "Headquarters of the Revolution," hosted meetings of the Sons of Liberty — activists who organized resistance against British rule, particularly unfair taxation and policies that eventually led to the American Revolution. Over the past decades, cafes have returned as a "third place" — neither home nor office, but somewhere in between. Coffeehouses have also evolved into refuges for modern life. In the early 1990s, when home internet access was not yet widespread, many cafes started providing public internet access, which drew people to start working from those spaces. Meanwhile, other cafe owners came up with unusual perks for their businesses. In Taipei, the world's first cat cafe — Cat Flower Garden — opened in 1998, giving urbanites a cozy space to sip and socialise among feline companions. The trend exploded in Japan and now thrives worldwide, where the blend of caffeine and calm continues to comfort overstimulated cities.
Observer
07-04-2025
- Observer
Culture plays pivotal role in Oman's global presence
OSAKA: HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Chairman of the Main Committee for Oman's Participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, presided over an Omani cultural evening. The event, held at the Osaka Museum of Modern Art as part of the Omani Pavilion's activities at Expo 2025 Osaka, brought together Omani and Japanese culture. The Omani cultural evening featured an art exhibition showcasing 12 digital artworks by talented Omani artists specialising in digital art. Representing diverse artistic schools, their works embodied Oman's cultural identity, future aspirations and extended links, blending digital painting techniques with authentic Omani identity. The pieces reflected a range of contemporary styles and patterns, through which the artists expressed their identities and worldviews, capturing aspects of Omani heritage, nature and tradition in innovative ways that fuse cultural legacy with modern creativity. The exhibited artworks explored themes of life, innovation, interactive visual experiences, visual memory and Omani identity, alongside pieces aligned with the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and the enduring influence of Omani culture. The exhibition highlighted the dynamism of Oman's art scene and its embrace of new technologies in artistic expression, drawing notable engagement from Japanese and international attendees. The evening's programme also included musical performances by Omani youth, harmonising cross-cultural artistic beauty. On the sidelines of the evening, HH Sayyid Theyazin met a group of Omani students pursuing studies at various Japanese universities. He also listened to their experiences and aspirations, reaffirming Oman's commitment to supporting its youth and fostering their presence in fields of knowledge, research and innovation. At the conclusion of the evening, the Commissioner General of Oman's Pavilion presented a commemorative gift to HH Sayyid Theyazin - a Japanese sword known as 'Katana'. This cultural and artistic artefact symbolises the balance between beauty and utility in Japanese philosophy, embodying the legacy of the samurai and the centuries-old craft of sword making. Forged by master artisan Gassan Sadakazu, it is recognised as a 'living treasure' and represents the pinnacle of Japanese swordsmithing, reflecting artistic creativity and inherited family traditions. The sword stands as a living heritage of Japanese culture, encapsulating values of discipline and innovation integral to traditional Japanese society. Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture and Commissioner General of Oman's Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said: "This evening reinforces the extended links and cultural exchange between Oman and Japan, affirming that art and music are universal languages capable of bridging nations across geographical distances." He added: "This evening represents a civilisational dialogue between two ancient cultures - Omani and Japanese - that share a reverence for beauty, a commitment to identity, and a pursuit of sustainability and innovation." He noted that the participation of young Omani artists with contemporary digital works reflects a qualitative leap in Oman's creative landscape, demonstrating how Oman Vision 2040 is being realised through talents blending heritage and modernity. Culture, he emphasised, plays a pivotal role in sustainable development and strengthening Oman's global presence, with such initiatives amplifying Omani culture internationally and opening new avenues for dialogue and mutual understanding. The event was attended by Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion and Deputy Chairman of the Main Committee for Oman's Participation in Expo 2025 Osaka; Faisal bin Abdullah al Rawas, Chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Dr Mohammed bin Said al Busaidy, Oman's Ambassador to Japan; along with diplomatic, academic and cultural figures, as well as representatives of participating institutions and supporting Omani companies. - ONA
Times of Oman
07-04-2025
- Times of Oman
'Omani Evening' celebrates culture, art, civilizational exchange between Oman, Japan
Osaka: HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth, Chairman of the Main Committee for Oman's Participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, graced an Omani cultural evening. The event, held at the Osaka Museum of Modern Art as part of the Omani Pavilion's activities at Expo 2025 Osaka, brought together Omani and Japanese culture. The Omani cultural evening featured an art exhibition showcasing twelve digital artworks by talented Omani artists specialising in digital art. Representing diverse artistic schools, their works embodied Oman's cultural identity, future aspirations, and extended links, blending digital painting techniques with authentic Omani identity. The pieces reflected a range of contemporary styles and patterns, through which the artists expressed their identities and worldviews, capturing aspects of Omani heritage, nature, and tradition in innovative ways that fuse cultural legacy with modern creativity. The exhibited artworks explored themes of life, innovation, interactive visual experiences, visual memory, and Omani identity, alongside pieces aligned with the goals of "Oman Vision 2040" and the enduring influence of Omani culture. The exhibition highlighted the dynamism of Oman's art scene and its embrace of new technologies in artistic expression, drawing notable engagement from Japanese and international attendees. The evening's programme also included musical performances by Omani youth, harmonising cross-cultural artistic beauty. On the sidelines of the evening, HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said met with a group of Omani students pursuing studies at Japanese universities. He also listened to their experiences and aspirations, reaffirming Oman's commitment to supporting its youth and fostering their presence in fields of knowledge, research, and innovation. He extended his wishes for their success and excellence. At the conclusion of the evening, the Commissioner General of Oman's Pavilion presented a commemorative gift to HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said—a Japanese sword known as a "Katana." This cultural and artistic artefact symbolises the balance between beauty and utility in Japanese philosophy, embodying the legacy of the samurai and the centuries-old craft of sword making. Forged by master artisan Gassan Sadakazu, it is recognized as a "living treasure" and represents the pinnacle of Japanese swordsmithing, reflecting artistic creativity and inherited family traditions. The sword stands as a living heritage of Japanese culture, encapsulating values of discipline and innovation integral to traditional Japanese society. Sayyid Said bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth for Culture and Commissioner General of Oman's Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, stated: "This evening reinforces the extended links and cultural exchange between Oman and Japan, affirming that art and music are universal languages capable of bridging nations across geographical distances." He added: "This evening represents a civilizational dialogue between two ancient cultures—Omani and Japanese—that share a reverence for beauty, a commitment to identity, and a pursuit of sustainability and innovation." He noted that the participation of young Omani artists with contemporary digital works reflects a qualitative leap in Oman's creative landscape, demonstrating how "Oman Vision 2040" is being realized through talents blending heritage and modernity. Culture, he emphasised, plays a pivotal role in sustainable development and strengthening Oman's global presence, with such initiatives amplifying Omani culture internationally and opening new avenues for dialogue and mutual understanding. The event was attended by Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion and Deputy Chairman of the Main Committee for Oman's Participation in Expo 2025 Osaka; Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Busaidi, Oman's Ambassador to Japan; along with diplomatic, academic, and cultural figures, as well as representatives of participating institutions and supporting Omani companies.
