BY LEULSEGED WORKU
Mena Awoke is Ethiopian born Israelite, living in Israel, Tel Aviv. She is among those Ethiopians who went abroad in search of a better life. Mena runs her own Ethiopia traditional restaurant, ‘Lucy Traditional Restaurant’ in Israel. Her restaurant is unique for it promotes Ethiopia and Ethiopian culture to the outside world. This journalist had a chance to communicate with her over the phone and confer how and when she started the business.
According to Mena, Ethiopians who live abroad have all the opportunity to promote their country to the outside world. This could be done in various ways, especially during Ethiopian national holidays and festivals. Promoting Ethiopia through its traditional foods is one means. Everyone can tell to his/her customers, foreign friends about Ethiopia- what Ethiopia is, what makes it unique and the like matters, of course including who Ethiopians are, she said.
“In this regard, all the materials I use in my restaurant- the carpets, the cooking utensils, the dining table and the cutleries which I use for serving food or eating tell the outside world how rich Ethiopians are in cultural arenas. This is our true identity. Introducing Ethiopia to the outside world and promoting its uniqueness does not always mean providing customers with traditional foods and coffee ceremony. But, it includes promoting our tradition through our dressing style, language and alphabet and even the way we host people,” Mena remarked.
As to her, we, Ethiopians, have lots of traditional foods that are not known to the foreign nations. Those spicy Ethiopian foods are unique; and are not well promoted to the outside world. In this regard, her restaurant is providing her customers with those spicy foods. While serving them with such delicious foods, they also tell them how the foods are prepared. This inspires and amazes most customers, particularly, those foreigners. For instance Injera, Doro Wot or Kitfo are some of the traditional foods that have a great demand from foreigners.
Several Tourists who came from New York, China or India to visit special places in Israel prefer to enjoy Ethiopia’s traditional foods. They enjoy Injera and Wot. “Whenever those tourists visit our restaurant, we provide them detailed information on how we prepare Ethiopian dishes and coffee. We will give them a chance to choose the various types of traditional foods we Ethiopians have. This inspires them to taste and enjoy our dishes.”
When asked what type of Ethiopian foods those tourists prefer to have in her restaurant, Mena said almost all tourists and other customers prefer to taste every Ethiopian food but, mostly, she sees them enjoying the spicy Doro Wot and Key Wot. As to her, despite its hotness they enjoy it.
“I can see those foreigners enjoying Ethiopian peppers. It is hot to their tongue; but they will not give up on it. This always inspires me to serve with passion and commitment. In addition to having their meal in our restaurant there are also several customers who order from their home and enjoy Ethiopian Doro Wot and Key Wot. Out of the total orders, almost 60 percent are Doro Wot and Key Wot lovers.
Not only that, Ethiopia’s coffee ceremony, which is prepared in the traditional way and more artistically is also the other thing that foreigners enjoy it.
In Israel, it is common to see people enjoying sweet desserts which are rare in Ethiopia. In place of this, our restaurant has a culture of serving Ethiopian coffee with all its traditional forms. This excites most of the customers. All the traditional preparation of coffee and; the ceremony that accompanies it offers them a special experience.
When asked to what extent she has promoted Ethiopia in the outside world, Mena said: “with all limitations, we, (along with her co-workers) are trying our level best to promote Ethiopia. I believe that every Ethiopian is an ambassador of his/her country to the outside world. We have a duty to promote the land with every means. Every Ethiopian represents his/her country. In this regard, I can say for sure that I am promoting my country in Israel, Tel-Aviv.”
While talking how and when she started the business Mena said, it is common to see most Ethiopians engaging in labor works. Absence of opportunities and other reasons to own their business has kept them from owning their firm. But it does not mean that all Ethiopian Diasporas have no opportunities. Despite all the available resources and opportunities, most of them have a mentality to work for others rather than running their own business.
“Whenever we engage in our own business, we will create job opportunities for other fellow Ethiopians and promote our country in foreign land. Before I opened Lucy Restaurant, I used to run my own mini grocer (Baltna shop) in which I sold various goods for the home. Concurrently, I used to prepare traditional Ethiopian foods to my friends and some of them have been advising me to open my own restaurant.
Their advice opens my eyes to see beyond my horizon and now I am promoting my country. Everything we have here in ‘Lucy Restaurant’ represents Ethiopia. Every traditional food and the furniture we use in the restaurant are unique. They are only found in Ethiopia,” she remarked.
Ethiopians are strong and committed people. They are people who love their country more than the host country.
This is witnessed several times. Despite the comfortable life they have in the host nations, their heart is always in Ethiopia. This has also been attested in various circumstances, in both good and bad times. Aside from standing by the side of their homeland during bad moments, being ambassadors of their country, they promote it in every possible way.
Imagine watching Ethiopians adorned with their special traditional Ethiopian attires at various global platforms and even at holidays. This by itself describes Ethiopians’ deep love and respect for their motherland and their culture.
Needless to say when a single Ethiopian Diaspora works harder and owns his/her firm in the foreign land, s/he does not only earn money, but he will also create job opportunities for other Ethiopian. This is another form of patriotism and love of Ethiopia.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 28 AUGUST 2022
