My family is originally from Yemen, where coffee is traditionally served using a dallah, a small Arabic coffee pot with tiny cups. The dallah has been part of Arab culture for centuries and was originally developed in the Arabian Peninsula. Over time, it became a symbol of hospitality and community, and in Yemen, it has been used for generations to brew coffee or qishr that brings family and friends together. My grandfather brought a small dallah with him when he moved to the United States in the 1960s. He wanted to keep the traditions of home alive and share them with his family as they settled into a new country. Even as my dad grew up here, he remembers the smell of coffee brewing in the mornings and sitting with family around the table, sharing stories and keeping the customs of Yemen alive. Today, we still use it, brewing coffee in the mornings and gathering around the table, just like my family has for generations. Using the sociological imagination, I can see that what looks like a simple habit of making coffee actually connects to my family’s journey and the traditions they wanted to keep alive in a new country. The dallah is more than just a coffee pot. To me, it represents family bonding, the warmth of home, and the traditions that have traveled across generations, keeping our heritage alive. 

 

– SA

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant