What If ‘Spilling The Tea’ Was A Sacred Community Gathering?

What daily ritual uplifts your spirit? In Senegal, tea time is that ritual. The Senegalese people make tea time a sacred ritual for community gathering. What would our world look like if we all took time to gather in community each day?

What If ‘Spilling The Tea’ Was A Sacred Community Gathering?
Via Wikimedia Commons

Life in Senegal revolves around the community ritual of tea time. Gathering for tea and the tea itself are called “Ataya.” Ataya, green tea that packs a punch, can take three hours to brew

Although the tea has only three ingredients, the person who brews Ataya is truly an alchemist. 

The tea leaves, sugar, and mint are added in precise measurements to a kettle over a flame. The brewer repeatedly pours the tea back and forth from the kettle into small glasses, aerating it until it foams. 

From the sweet froth of the foam to the tea’s bitter taste, the Senegalese know Ataya is meant to be savored. They drink it in three rounds

Each round has a different meaning and flavor process associated with its brew time. Because of its bitter taste, the first round is like a mother’s love — strong, strict, and caring. 

Having had more time to steep, the second round is sweeter, reflecting the sweetness of the community gathered for tea. The third round is gentle on the palate, associated with the tenderness of romantic love. 

A daily ritual, Ataya reminds the Senegalese that making time to honor community and social traditions is sacred.

What would our world look like if we all took tie daily to be present with community? 


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