Ghawa: The Essence of Hospitality and Respect

16 Dec, 2019

The emirate of Abu Dhabi boasts a rich, longstanding cultural heritage. Beyond the tangible physicality of historical sites and artefacts are crucial intangible elements; the inherited traditions and daily customs, social and celebratory practices, and traditional handicrafts and professions which together comprise the collective identity of a culture.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is committed to preserving these heritage elements and keeping them as active parts of daily life, through partnering with cultural and community institutions, experts and artisans. One such practice which sits at the very heart of Emirati and wider Arab culture is Gahwa (Arabic coffee).

Coffee is integral to Arab hospitality and the history of the region is steeped in its associated traditions. Serving it to guests is an important element of hospitality in Emirati society and a symbolic act of generosity, respect and appreciation. Gahwa has been a central part of Arab culture for centuries, with its preparation and serving marked by elaborate customs and rituals.
Gahwa is made by the Sane’ al Gahwa, literally translating to ‘coffee maker’. The Gahwa-making process starts with the roasting stage, where the beans are sorted, washed, dried and finally roasted until they turn a light or medium/dark colour. The roasted beans are ground using a mortar and pestle and then boiled in the coffee pot to produce an intensely flavoured and aromatic coffee. The Sane’ al Gahwa adds flavourings to enhance the coffee, such as cardamom, saffron, or cloves. These flavours were introduced as time passed, as originally Gahwa was served plain and strong.

Reflecting its cultural importance, in 2015 Gahwa became one of eight UAE heritage elements that have been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, after a successful joint campaign led by DCT Abu Dhabi and involving several neighbouring countries.

Gahwa Championships
One major Gahwa-based DCT Abu Dhabi initiative is the recently launched Gahwa Championships, the inaugural edition of which was held in Abu Dhabi from 9 - 11 December as part of the region’s premier F&B and hospitality fair, SIAL Middle East 2019. A celebration of both the history of this important regional heritage practice and its continued relevance to the present day, the event saw skilled Gahwa practitioners compete in five categories that tested their skills and knowledge, with a chance of winning substantial cash prizes.
The judging panel consisted of an elite group of coffee experts and specialty project owners from around the world including Abdulla Khalfan Al Yammahi, an Emirati researcher, author and heritage expert and author of Etiquette of Gahwa Serving in the UAE; Osamah Al Awwam, founder and manager of one of Saudi Arabia’s first speciality coffee roasters, The Roasting House; Tim Sturk, Canadian coffee educator for the Specialty Coffee Association and certified Sensory Judge; Fatima Al Mughanni, a certified instructor in the UAE’s Sane Programme; Abdullah Bin Kulayb, a trained coffee roaster and the co-founder of Knoll Coffee Roasters in Saudi Arabia; Abdulla Al Mheiri, member of the Specialty Coffee Association and winner of the 2019 UAE AeroPress Championship; Khaled Al Saadi, an Emirati chef and entrepreneur; Sara Al-Ali, co-owner of coffee shops in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi and a quality manager at a roastery in Saudi Arabia; and Mohammed Al Sharhan, an oral historian, author, and heritage expert.

Two Sane’ Al Gahwa (coffee maker) categories, for Light Roast and Medium/Dark Roast, challenged competitors to achieve the best Gahwa using their own roast preference, while also testing their knowledge of the history and traditions associated with Arabic coffee. Using only traditional utensils, the competitors were judged on their grinding and boiling of the beans, the taste and quality of the final drink, as well as their poise and etiquette in serving. Light Roast winner Ahmed Al Ahbabi and Medium/Dark Roast winner Afra Alkhyeli, both from the UAE, each received a grand prize of AED 125,000. Runners-up Hamad Almazrouei from the UAE and Zayed Tamimi of Iraq each secured a prize of AED 40,000, for Light Roast and Medium/Dark Roast respectively.

The Gahwa Roaster Award, again in both Light Roast and Medium/Dark Roast categories, saw competitors evaluated in blind tastings by a panel of specialist judges, who examined the flavour, body, acidity, sweetness, balance and aftertaste of their Gahwa. The competitors, both individuals and representatives of roasting houses, were also assessed on their choice of beans and their roasting skills. Hussain Almalki from Saudi Arabia triumphed in the Light Roast category, while Pratama Winarto of Indonesia was awarded top place for Medium/Dark Roast, both receiving a prize of AED 25,000.

The final category was the Gahwa Beverage Concept Award, which saw Jerry Flores from the Philippines named as the creator of the finest and most innovative hot or cold Gahwa-based beverage, and awarded AED 20,000 in prize money. As well as the taste and appearance of the beverage, those competing in this category were assessed on their approach, technique, originality and creativity.

The open registration to compete in the first ever Gahwa Championships saw DCT Abu Dhabi receive hundreds of applications from Gahwa artisans across the region and beyond. While a majority were from the GCC and wider Arab region, applications came from as far afield as Africa and Asia, demonstrating the reach and resonance of this ancient practice.

Bait Al Gahwa
As another of its initiatives to support the documentation and protection of Gahwa as an essential heritage element of Emirati culture, DCT Abu Dhabi operates Bait Al Gahwa, launched in 2018. An in-depth exploration of Arabic coffee, Bait Al Gahwa presents each stage of Gahwa preparation from roasting, cooling, and grinding, to brewing and serving the coffee, performed by licensed Emirati entrepreneurs.

Located in the House of Artisans in Al Hosn, Bait Al Gahwa was designed to accurately represent these integral elements of Emirati hospitality through an enjoyable cultural experience for visitors, according to the inscribed specifications registering Arabic coffee on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Culture Heritage. The initiative also travels around the emirate, appearing at cultural and heritage festivals and events.

The programme grants special permits to Emiratis to craft their own experience of the stages of preparing and serving Gahwa, using the distinctive techniques, traditional tools, and etiquette unique to the UAE. Entrepreneurs can obtain a Bait Al Gahwa license following an intensive 10-day training course conducted by heritage experts from DCT Abu Dhabi, which entails the use of traditional coffee-making tools in the various stages of the process, as well as learning the etiquette of an Emirati majlis with the receiving and greeting of guests.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s efforts to preserve the heritage and traditions of Arabic coffee stem from the important practices related to Gahwa, which are based on deep-rooted principles that ensured peaceful coexistence in earlier times. The sustained popularity of Gahwa and its associated traditions today indicates that these values of tolerance and respect for others continue to flourish in the hearts of the younger generations.