Far more than a drink, the Eritrean jebena ceremony binds neighbours, marks milestones, and carries stories across time.
The charcoal is lit before sunrise. Green beans are washed and roasted in a flat pan over the flame, their aroma drifting through open windows and drawing neighbours to doors. This is the jebena ceremony — a practice that predates modern Eritrea and continues in living rooms from Asmara to Adelaide.
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