Beyond Buna and Popcorn: Using personal narratives to explore the relationship between the Ethiopian coffee (Buna) ceremony and mental and social well-being among Ethiopian forced migrants in London, UK

Abstract

This paper reports on oral history interviews undertaken with Ethiopian forced migrants in London and focuses on the significance that the traditional coffee (Buna) ceremony has on mental well-being among participants. It was evident from participants that the Buna ceremony provides opportunities to preserve cultural heritage as a strategy for overcoming forms of social isolation and disadvantage. The ceremony enables participants to meet, talk, support; and especially where mental distress is associated with loss of social support, the Buna ceremony can be viewed as a mutual self help group, where individuals are involved in the maintenance of well-being.