Ataayah

Ataayah: the Wolof word for tea. You might be surprised to hear that the tea culture here in Senegal is huge. It's not your grandma's cup of tea, though. It's super strong, and somehow thick and heavy. The first time I drank ataayah, I was convinced it was some sort of spiced espresso. In many Senegalese families or gatherings of friends, ataayah plays a nearly omnipresent role.

The making of ataayah is a ritualistic, complex, and specific process. It takes about 30 minutes to prepare a round of tea, which is served in small shot-sized glasses. The ingredients: water, tea leaves, a buttload of sugar (the Senegalese, I've discovered, have a national sweet tooth rivaling any sweet tooth I've ever witnessed before), and optionally mint leaves, depending on the preference of the tea-maker. After precise durations of simmering and resting unheated, two of the shot-sized glasses are used to "cultivate the foam." (That sounds weird translated into English, but that's literally how they describe it in French). With a steady, accurate hand, the tea is poured from glass to glass, back and forth, really rapidly. In my two-month tutelage of learning how to make ataayah, I learned that this vital step looks way easier than it actually is.

The first round of tea is served and consumed fast. Then, the second round begins. Ataayah is an all afternoon, all evening, and all night thing. At my homestay, my father starts the first cup of ataayah around six and continues until midnight, when everyone goes to bed. He pauses the constant ritual of mixing, sugar adding, and pouring from glass to glass when we eat dinner. People love teaching toubabs how to make tea. I've had about 4 steady ataayah tutors throughout my time here. I wouldn't say I've mastered the process-- I spill frequently, add too little sugar, put the mint in before the water boils (big faux pas), etc. I'll just say it's a work in process.