Berbera

There is little visibility in the people behind everyday things that are taking for granted for their ubiquity. Berbere is a spice mixture that is intrinsically part of the Eritrean culinary identity.

This is a small part of a long term personal project on documenting identity around the world. The chapter about Berbere was consolidated over three visits to Eritrea and two to Ethiopia, but focusing on the first. There is little visibility in the people behind everyday things that are taking for granted for their ubiquity. Berbere is a spice mixture that is intrinsically part of the Eritrean culinary identity. A rounded flavor of sweet, tangy, salty and pungent, it is essential in local cuisine. The process from farm to table goes through many phases, but it is in the milling factories that the product becomes final. Workers undergo long hours in an environment where it is virtually impossible to breathe, yet they do. Despite technological progress, the electrical mills require operators to feed them the ingredients, recover and store the resulting powder. These people are ultimately responsible for the production of an element of identity that is taken for granted, yet defines taste, family and community.