Coffee made from roasted coffee beans is one of the most widespread beverages and commodities around the world, and it has become a means of meeting with others, which is a reason for its popularity and its name "lover of the brown".

The provision of coffee is one of the most important traditions of hospitality in Arab society in general, and Emirati society in particular, and it has been an essential part of Arab culture for several centuries, and the way it is prepared and presented is characterized by authentic Arab traditions and literature.

The coffee symbolizes the generosity and hospitality of the Emirati society, which made it deeply rooted in the Emirati traditions.

In view of the cultural and heritage importance of Arab coffee, the UAE and a number of Arab Gulf countries included it in the 2015 list as a representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

respect

The researcher in the Emirati culture, Ghaya Al Dhaheri, said that the spread of coffee in the Arab Gulf region dates back more than 500 years, due to the geographical extension and neighborhood with the Hijazi regions from which the coffee drink spread to its surroundings through pilgrimage trips, after this coffee came from its home Originally in Yemen through commercial travel, and from there it was introduced to the Emirati society.

She added, "Emirati coffee has its respect and appreciation for the rules of literature and behavior in Emirati society. Honoring the guest is not an issue if you do not offer him coffee even if the carcasses are sacrificed to him, and he provided him with the delicious food and drink."

Ghaya Al Dhaheri indicated that «coffee is one of the basic requirements in every Emirati house, so the cup of coffee becomes the daily companion that begins their morning with them and honors their guests, so we find them keen to provide the house with coffee beans constantly before the available amount is exhausted, so there is no day and the house is free of coffee» .

"The Agricultural Guide"

Ghaya Al-Dhaheri explained that Emirati coffee, which is distinguished from others in a way and the degree of roasting, and adding the “ginad” which consists of aromatic plant materials such as cardamom, saffron and others; they are made immediately after the dawn prayer, as they were and still start their day with a cup of coffee, while the other time they are made Coffee is immediately after the call to prayer, and it is called "afternoon coffee", and these standard times are normal times.

She stated that the dalla is one of the most important tools used during the preparation of coffee, as it was designed and decorated in a special way, and there are several types of which are used during the preparation and presentation of coffee, including what is distinctive such as "the agricultural pigeon", which is considered one of the luxurious signs, and is attributed to the ancient tribe of Al Bu Falah. On the other hand, it is a special heritage symbol that expresses the originality of lineage, and also embodies the concept of the Emirati national identity, and it was made from the finest raw materials of gold and silver, and was characterized by its precision in its manufacture, elegance of its shape, and the harmony between shape and size.

Covenants

The researcher emphasized in the Emirati culture that the cup in which coffee is served is a tool through which members of society express various attitudes and social situations that glorify virtues and rise from vices, in the forefront of which is the characteristic of generosity that symbolizes giving, quality and generosity, and the Arabs knew all these meanings before knowing coffee, but This cup added the new and fundamental meaning of personal and group commitment to various social topics.

She added that one of these indications and customs that symbolize the request for marriage, as the cup of coffee also expresses the commitment to taking covenants, where it is said “We have two coffee drinkers in the presence of Juan Shamma”; this expression has an indication of documenting the matter between the group, as coffee is required And present wherever they are.

And she mentioned that «coffee has a great moral value in the Emirati society, as it is presented as gifts between family, friends and neighbors on various occasions, such as the holy month of Ramadan and the move to new homes and wedding occasions», noting that coffee beans were the gift that people expect when return travelers ( Al-Tarush).

Ghaya Al Dhaheri continued: “The importance of coffee in the Emirati society reached that during the period of the Second World War of 1940-1945, the import of coffee stopped completely, which led to the scarcity of coffee, so people began searching for what they replaced for the lost coffee, so they converted to the nucleus of dates instead of it. They began collecting the nuclei of the dates, then cleaned, roasted and ground, and then added to the boiling water to turn brown and the taste would be close to the taste of the coffee drink, and if the flavor varied ».

She explained that the coffee lover cannot do without it and prefers it over all food and drink, and if water is scarce in the past, this will not pose any dilemma for him, as he milked his chatter or camel, boiling a little coffee with milk to prepare a cup of milk with milk, and this method of preparing coffee has been known since A long time has desert Bedouins in the Baynunah region in the Emirates and in the Arab desert societies.

An experienced person

"The coffee", which is the person who provides coffee to the guests, has a distinguished place in the Emirates society. Serving coffee requires a lot of experience, skill, good qualities, good morals, good appearance and physical fitness that must be provided by those who provide it, because this work requires an authentic heritage culture .

Serving coffee is one of the most important traditions of hospitality in Arab and Emirati society.