We made a little detour on our way to Hawassa to visit the Sidama people, renowned for their high-quality coffee, which is considered a hallmark of speciality coffee. As the origin of Coffea arabica, Ethiopia, and the Sidama region in particular, has deep cultural and economic ties to coffee production.
The Sidama are known not only for coffee production but also for a rich cultural heritage, including the Fichee-Chambalaalla new year festival. They are a Cushitic-speaking people with a history of self-administration, and in 2019, the Sidama Zone became the 10th official regional state in Ethiopia after a referendum on autonomy. Their culture includes the worship of a sky god, a divine king, and traditional spiritual guardians called ancestors. We paid 1,000 ETB for a local guide and 1,000 ETB for the coffee ceremony.
