I hosted a Genna "potluck" festival Saturday night. Expected were a number of Ethiopians, both children and adults, and Friday night slumber was plagued with what if my injera doesn't turn out, what if there isn't enough, what if it just isn't good? Which prompted me to make a last minute run to a local Ethio Mart to purchase some "just in case" back up injera. As I was stocking up on another 25 lb bag of teff, the store owner (whom I'd never met) gave me a quizzical look and said doubtfully "oh sorry, we only sell teff in really big bag". "I know, dark teff right? That's what I want". Doubtfully he said "you making injera white girl? You know how surely not white girl?" After the transaction I amasaganalo'd him, he gave me a quick double look and said "did you just say that?" Apparently I pronounced it so well, he was sure it came from somewhere else and then he asked me how long I had lived in Ethiopia. Needless to say, I left the shop feeling pretty high on my haunches (and really wanting to at some point say I'd lived in Ethiopia).
(unfortunately pic taken after several had to leave)
I may have forcedsome all of my friends to try Ethiopian cooking for the first time, but you wouldn't have known it as everything turned out amazing. I met some new friends and caught up with some old. There was a family present who were Eritrean refugees who had lived in an Ethiopian refugee camp for the last several years and now speak a little English, but primarily Amharic. They have only been in the US for a couple of months, and MB had this really strange reaction to meeting them. Maybe I will talk more about this at some point, but the reaction looked like a mixed bag of fear and anxiety (frequent/weird licking lips and shoulder shrugging?). I'm still trying to digest it myself, but I had never seem him act like that and it definitely had me rethinking how soon we would all be able to travel back to Ethiopia to visit some special family. (I was really rooting for soon. Now I'm not so sure)
All in all, so blessed to live in a city where I can have the opportunity to know and love so many Ethiopians. So blessed to be able to take a tiny bit of homeland culture, bottle it up and share it with my boys.
Melkem Genna everyone. Did you celebrate the holiday? Any favorite traditions?
(unfortunately pic taken after several had to leave)I may have forced
All in all, so blessed to live in a city where I can have the opportunity to know and love so many Ethiopians. So blessed to be able to take a tiny bit of homeland culture, bottle it up and share it with my boys.
Melkem Genna everyone. Did you celebrate the holiday? Any favorite traditions?
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looks like fun!! i was really wishing we lived closer as i was longing for some friends to share with. glad it all went well! how did the injera turn out?
ReplyDeleteSorry you are so far away Kendra.
DeleteInjera was just... mehh. It wasn't my finest batch, but it was okay.
melkam belated genna! what a sweet gathering of folks! i have to admit i'm a teensy bit jealous of your ability to purchase teff locally. (though truthfully my injera is not worth writing home about, so 'twould probably be better used by people with some know-how, ie you.)
ReplyDeletei've heard of similar instances with smallish folk encountering amharic speaking adults stateside, and the nervous/fearful reactions that ensued. i wonder if it messes with their categorization of life before and life now?? whatever the roots, it makes me kind of achy.
nic, check your local "natural grocers/whole foods" type store. Because so many people are cutting out glutten, teff is becoming more widely available. The brand Bob's Red Mill which I have seen in every grocery store sells it.
DeleteGood call SFM. I did see it at Whole Foods. It's crazy expensive though. I just bought a 25 lb bag for $42, and I think it was over $5/lb at Whole Foods. But, it might be worth it for a smaller bag. 25 lbs is kind of a huge committment :)
DeleteThat looks like so much fun. Our Genna was taken up by our baby's surgery, and all my good intentions of at least going out for injera the night before fell by the wayside in a giant ball of stress. Next year I'll do better. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteBaby surgery trumps holiday celebrations any day. I just caught up with your little one on your blog. I hope the week to come is much better.
DeleteWe spent our evening at a clinic getting our dossier physicals. Whoop! The waiting room was mostly empty, except for a precious couple huddled together trying to decipher the intake paperwork. I knew immediately that they were from ET, so I quietly leaned in and said, 'Melkam Genna.' They looked shocked! I'm sure it made them wonder. Then we went to an Ethiopian restaurant. I would LOVE to learn how to cook some Ethiopian dishes, but I have NO idea where to even start!
ReplyDeleteWendyLou - cooking Ethiopian food is very easy (with the exception of injera). Have you checked out these recipes? http://www.godwilladd.com/p/mondays-menu-ethiopian-recipes.html I swear, super easy.
DeleteAnd how cool about running into the Ethiopian couple. I bet that made them feel good, having an American wish them Melkam Genna!
Sorry we missed it this year. My sister and nephews came down from Chicago. We had spaghetti for dinner. I guess that sort of qualifies as Ethiopian food... I didn't add berbere, though.
ReplyDeleteI definitely missed you! We need to plan a get together soon, despite your 150 lbs of dogs, or whatever it is.
DeleteAnd, in what world does spaghetti qualify as Ethiopian food?? ;-)
Oh how I wish we lived closer. (Also I wish I wasn't commenting from my phone so I could say something worthwhile.) We had a feast here at home. Your story of MB sounds eerily familiar. We are itching to return to ET soon-ish as well, but I think we need more healing in some small hearts here.
ReplyDelete