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Theculture of Eritrea is the collective cultural heritage of the various populations native toEritrea. Eritrea has nine recognized ethnic groups. Each group have their own unique traditions and customs but some traditions are shared and appreciated among different ethnic groups.[1] The local culture consists of various, and often quite similar, traditions practiced by the nation's manyCushitic andEthiopian Semitic-speakingAfro-Asiatic ethnic groups, in addition to those practiced by the area'sNilotic minorities. Eritrean culture is in some ways similar to the cultures of other countries in the region.[2]
One of the most recognizable parts of Eritrean culture is thecoffee ceremony.[3] Coffee (Ge'ez ቡንbūn) is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. If coffee is politely declined then most likelytea ("shy" ሻሂshahee) will be served. The coffee is brewed by first roasting the green coffee beans over hot coals in abrazier. Once the beans are roasted each participant is given an opportunity to sample the aromatic smoke by wafting it towards them. The coffee roasting smoke are sometimes used to fill the rooms with a pleasant scent. This is followed by the grinding of the beans, traditionally in a woodenmortar and pestle.
The coffee grounds are then put into a special vessel, called ajebena, and boiled. A jebena is usually made ofclay and has a spherical base, a neck and pouring spout and a handle where the neck connects with the base. When the coffee boils up through the neck it is poured in and out of another container to cool it, and then is put back into the jebena until it happens again. To pour the coffee from the jebena a filter made fromhorsehair or other material is placed in the spout of the jebena to prevent the grounds from escaping.[citation needed]
The host pours the coffee for all participants by moving the tilted jebena over a tray with small, handleless cups (finjal) without stop until each cup is full. Some of the coffee will inevitably miss the cup but this is done to prevent the coffee grounds from contaminating the brew. One extra cup is poured each time. The grounds are brewed four times: the first round of coffee is calledawel, the secondkale'i, the thirdbereka ('to be blessed') and the fourth is called "dereja". However, the "dereja" is not always poured, it is mostly poured when elders are present. The coffee ceremony may also include burning of various traditionalincense such asfrankincense orgum arabic.[citation needed]
Typically,Eritrean cuisine consists of variousstews (tsebhi) made from vegetables and meat, and served atop a large, flatsourdoughbread calledinjera,tayta, "shuro", "alicha" and "hamly". Manyvegetarian dishes are available since a majority of the population observefasting at some time during the year. Eating is accomplished withoututensils by tearing a piece of injera (strictly using the right hand), then scooping some stew, vegetables or salad with the bread.[citation needed]
On visiting an Eritrean household, it is polite to decline at least three times if asked to dine. Usually the host will say "bezay kelalem", after which the guest may agree to dine. This process ensures that one does not seem too eager to eat at another's household. When one visits an Eritrean house regardless of whether they are served with food or not, they are always served with hot tea.
Suwa is the name for the home-brewedbeer common in Eritrea. It is made from roasted corn, barley and other grain and is flavored withgesho, a type of buckthorn leaf. The beverage is often made for celebrations; a sweethoney wine (called Mies) is also commonly served.
In addition, Eritrean cuisine has a lot ofItalian dishes from theItalian Eritrean cuisine introduced duringItalian Eritrea. It is more common to find people eating the Italian Eritrean cuisine in the capital,Asmara. Asmara has been regarded as "New Rome" or "Italy's African City" due to its Italian influence, not only in the architecture, but also for the wide streets,piazzas (town squares) andcoffee bars. In the boulevards, lined with palms and trees, there are many Italian style bars,restaurants and cafes,[4] servingcappuccinos and lattes, as well asgelato parlours. Many Eritreans drink theespresso coffee, made using original Italian machinery. Pizza -the worldwide famous Italian food created inNapoli- is one of the favorite foods of the young people in Asmara.[citation needed]
Eritrea has nine ethnic groups, each of which have their own different styles of music and accompanying dances. A common instrument used by many of the communities is the drum. Amongst the Tigray-Tigrinya, the best known traditional musical genre is calledguaila.
There are two major religions in Eritrea,Christianity andIslam. Pew research estimates that 63.5% areChristian, and 36.5% followsIslam,[5] In 2010, theUnited States Department of State (USDoS) estimated that 65% of the population was Christian and around 35% was Muslim.[6] The Muslims are concentrated in the eastern and western lowlands,& highlands whereas the Christians mainly inhabit the highlands. Religious denominations with fewer than 5% adherents includeProtestants,Seventh-day Adventists,Jehovah's Witnesses,Baha'is,Buddhists andHindus. Followers oftraditional faiths comprise around 2% of residents. There are very few irreligious individuals, and participation in religious activity is generally high.[7]
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Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan have significant similarities emanating not only from culture, religion, traditions, history and aspirations but also from being in comparable levels of income and economic development. For the most part, the peoples of these countries share common values. They appreciate similar foods and spices, beverages and sweets, fabrics and tapestry, lyrics and music, and jewelry and fragrances. They even compare in sizes and looks and are hard to tell.
The country has an area of 48,489 square miles and a population of 3.6 million. Although reliable statistics are not available, it is estimated that 50 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim and 30 percent is Orthodox Christian. Approximately 13 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, while groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include Protestants, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhist, Hindus, and Baha'is. Approximately 2 percent of the population practice traditional indigenous religions. The population in the eastern and western lowlands is predominantly Muslim and predominantly Christian in the highlands. There are very few atheists. Religious participation is high among all ethnic groups
