A study case on coffee (Coffea arabica): Limu Coffe - IRD

tona and baraka. In this myth, characters are named in the same way but are Christians,
prepare coffee in the Amhara way of consumption and chat is not mentioned.
- Bäträ Maryam, living Lake Tana banks in the 17 th century, was praying in Zagie
Island and went into transe. Long time passed and when he got out of his praying condition,
he couldn’t get back his stick of rhythm. This rooted and wore coffee fruits.
5.3) Limu Kosa legends of coffee origin
Through different interviews lead with old Muslim traders and peasants, different
hypothesis emerged looking at coffee plant and coffee production origins. But, nowadays
delimitating fixed boundaries in relation with zones and woredas, as told me an expert of the
Jima Research Centre, coffee origin became a political game (Bonga and Agaro birthplaces).
The most accurate would be to recognize south western Ethiopian Kaffa belt where forests are
connected as the birthplace. Ethiopian Muslims ensuring the commercial and consuming past
of coffee are the main source of information since oral legends and explanations passed
through generations and because written sources are not available. In this way, some facts are
intertwined with historical proved facts and other have to be considered as legends.
- A peasant living in the south of Genet told me that coffee got originated in the
following Limu Kosa forests:
- Baddaa Dallachaa
- Baddaa Kalloo
- Baddaa Miyaa (in Tanaboo Laaloo farmers’ association)
- Baddaa Gejib (Uursa Gotaa river) in Limu Seka woreda
Not as a proof of origin but of old introduction, three unique old coffee trees still stand
in Gejib forest, in Seka woreda Suntu State Farm branch, of which I could see one specimen:
11 meters high, 72 cm of circumference and 130 years-old estimated
In Kalloo forest I could see very old coffee trees (baggaajjaa) and their owners told
that: “Even our grand father didn’t know about the origin of these old trees. In the past, the
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