Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CELEBRATIONS
Food plays a major role in religious festivals of both Muslims and Ethiopian Orthodox
Christians. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, while
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians abstain from eating any animal products in the 55 days lead-
ing up to Ethiopian Easter.
EATING THE FLOWERS OF PARADISE
Head to eastern Ethiopia and you don't have to be there long to notice the bulging cheeks of the
chat
chewer.
Chat
,
khat
,
qat
or
miraa
are the leaves of the shrub
Catha edulis
. Originating in the hills of eastern Ethiopia the
chat
plant
has spread across parts of East Africa and into southern Arabia, and for many of the inhabitants of this broad swath
of land the afternoon
chat
-chewing session has become almost a pivotal point of life.
The effects of
chat
have long been debated - most users will insist that it gives an unbeatable high, makes you
more talkative (at least until the come down when the chewer becomes withdrawn and quiet), suppresses hunger,
prevents tiredness and increases sexual performance. Others will tell you that it gives no noticeable high, makes
you lethargic, slightly depressed, constipated and reduces sex drive! Most Western visitors who try it report no ma-
jor effects aside from a possible light buzz and an unpleasant aftertaste.
If you're going to chew
chat
then you need to make sure the setting is perfect in order to enjoy the experience.
Ask for the sweetest
chat
you can get (most Ethiopians regard this as poor quality
chat
, but first-time chewers find
even this very bitter) and get a good group of people together to chew with, because
chat
is, above all else, a social
drug. Take yourself off to a quiet and comfortable room - ideally one with a view, sit back, relax and enjoy the con-
versation while popping leaves individually into your mouth where you literally just store them in one cheek, gently
chewing them. All going well you'll be a
chat
'addict' by the end of the day.
Orthodox Ethiopians also abstain from animal products each Wednesday and Friday.
There are a very large number of Orthodox feast days, of which 33 honour the Virgin Mary
alone.
