Little Addis

shop in Little Addis

One of the major similarities between New York and Joburg is the fact that they are both cities of immigrants. In fact, my father came through Ellis Island from Czechoslovakia when he was five and settled in New York with the other Slavic immigrants "fresh off the boat" as we used to say. So I feel a first-hand kinship with the little enclaves of people who huddle together with their fellow countrymen in foreign cities all over the world.

you can really see the Byzantine influence

In the early days, the immigrants to Joburg were mostly Europeans and Asians who came during the gold rush. But the modern immigrant to Joburg is the African. From countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, Congo, ... and Ethiopia.

the embroidery is very eastern European

One of the largest immigrant communities in the CBD are the Ethiopians who started migrating en masse in the 80's because of war and drought and they brought their culture with them. Clothing, religion, food, coffee.

wat and injera

We recently checked out the Ethiopian enclave in the CBD called Little Addis for some lunch and shopping.






 

you eat it with your right hand

it's communal

Then there is the coffee culture ...

I love the ritual

Ethiopians eat salty popcorn with their coffee

Ethiopian coffee pot on coals

they burn incense as part of the ritual

coffee is served in small handleless cups. no sugar. no cream.

You can sit and watch the world go by on the streets below.