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| "Coffee Ritual" by Rubik Kocharian, 22"x42", oil on linen (2000) [Copyright Rubik Kocharian. All rights reserved. Repost or copy only with full credit to the artist and without modification.] |
She is Ethiopian. We were having coffee
and she said that
having coffee in her country is a ritual for Mother Earth. I asked her to bring her coffee set and her Ethiopian dress. She came for the sitting for the painting with her husband (who is also Ethiopian) who knew more about the ritual. He told me that they would sit on small mattresses outdoors; if they cannot be outside then they bring some grass and surround with the grass the area were they are going to drink coffee. They had a specially made coffee set and incense burner that is for burning incense during the time of drinking coffee. By drinking coffee they were getting connected with Mother Earth who they call Nefertiti. The brick wall in the background and the red Bougainvillea flower are common in their country.
