When preparing for the dead, may we peep into the future? In the broader geography of the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean, we cook our coffee in the briki or cezve. Every region has its own variation, some heat up the water before adding the powder, some add spices, some make it thick, others thinner. And every person has their own variation as well. Coffee is something as personal as communal. Apart from the daily morning and evening consumption, we also share two uses of the coffee that are central of interest here: the coffee cup reading and the tradition of coffee drinking in funerals and memorials. Imagination and memory, future and past, the association with grief; and the unique timelines traced in each cup. I think that it has been with me for years, the memory of my grandmothers, my mother’s morning ritual of cooking a light Greek coffee in a big cup. The familiarity of the Kafenio. And most importantly, community dynamics; sharing others, participating. Here I aspired to create a meeting space with people, artists or not, with whom I have met over the years and share the subtle fascination about this type of coffee and its rituals. Acknowledging the blood, oppression and displacement behind and around the product. The Cafe Imperial.

The Coffee Lexicon

by Seba Kourani

Soubhiyeh صُبحيّة (Noun)

Soubhiyeh — derived from Sabah (morning) — is like a tender, affectionate diminutive of the word.
Time of day, moment of reflection.
An intimate moment in the morning involves a lot of coffee pots and low voice conversation.
A slow beginning, time is stretched, you feel life is bearable after all.
It feels as though we have stolen a fragment of time and tucked it into a steaming pot of coffee.

Ahwet Ahla w Sahla قهوة أهلا وسهلا (Phrase)

Ahwe (قهوة) = coffee (noun)
Ahla w Sahla (أهلا وسهلا) = welcome and ease (phrase)

An idiomatic phrase, a gesture of hospitality, offering coffee as a heartfelt welcome.
Offering coffee is like a ticking time bomb. You shouldn’t serve it too soon if the guest was expected, as it sends a clear signal that it's time to leave.
On the other hand, offering coffee too late to an unexpected guest may create awkwardness.
The speed at which you bring coffee reflects your true intentions of hosting.
However, by saying “Ahwet Ahla w Sahla,” you ensure that you’re always in the safe zone, regardless of the timing.

Daimi دايمة (Adjective)

Meaning "perpetual" or "everlasting," a sweet wish for continuity and lasting blessings.

Used to announce that you are done with your coffee: look into the eye of your host, smile, place your coffee on the tray, look at everyone and say Daimi.
It is an act of gratitude to the house, and not only your host.

Dal' el-Ahweh Khair دلق القهوة خير (Phrase)

Dal' (دلق) = spilling (verb/noun depending on usage)
el-Ahwe (القهوة) = the coffee (noun)
Khair (خير) = goodness, blessing (noun)

An expression used when coffee is accidentally spilled.
A mistake transformed into a blessed opportunity of good luck.
An opportunity to reassure the person who spilled it, telling them that it’s a good sign and there's no need to feel embarrassed — you did good to the house.
A moment of total chaos, but we see it as a sign of good, rather than the opposite of what it seems at first.

Dhumra ضمرة (Noun)

A dark spot of coffee residue that forms clearly and concentrated on the wall or bottom of a coffee cup.
It may symbolize a great burden or emotional weight the person is carrying.

Dhamara ضمَرَ (Verb)

It is a request by the fortune teller to place a fingerprint inside the dark mass.
It is an action we do when we need to shift the energy of the cup and open a window of hope.
Take a deep breath, focus your energy on what is burdening you and take a step toward changing it.
You are the key link in the chain of change!

Tip