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Reuben Ndjerareou

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Turkish coffee is bitter! That is the sentiment of most people who have had properly made Turkish coffee. However, if your taste buds can get beyond its “concentrated, bold flavor and a velvety texture,” you will begin to experience “the heart” of Turkish coffee. I do like Turkish coffee. My taste buds sometimes recoil at its bitterness, but I know what to expect. Its bitterness serves as an analogy for me. I have heard countless stories of the bitter taste Africa has left in many people’s mouths. I have plenty of stories of my own bitter experiences in Africa (bitter experiences are not exclusive to Africa. I equally have had bitter Western experiences). These experiences often leave an aftertaste that needs water to wash away (Turkish coffee is served with a small cup of water). I enjoy eating dates with my Turkish coffee to moderate the bitterness. However, that bitterness serves a purpose. It is hard to see that purpose if your palate is only accustomed to and prefers sweet things! However, here is the crux of Turkish coffee. In its bitterness, you are invited to be part of a community. It is an extended hand in friendship. It is an opportunity to be hospitable. It is the strength to face adversity. It is the possibility to still believe amid doubt. It is an encouragement to slow down, take a seat, and stay awhile. Turkish coffee is predominantly a Middle Eastern demonstration of hospitality and friendship. The Turkish proverb, “Souls are after neither coffee nor coffeehouses; they are after close companionship; coffee is an excuse,” highlights our universal need for community. In Africa, this common need for community is emphasized in the term Ubuntu, “I am because we are.” In the United States, it is articulated by C.S Lewis, “Friendship…

Powerful Stories of Redemption in Each Cigar I have been involved in the cigar culture for over a year. It has been an incredible journey. I have met many interesting people. Cigars are often called the great equalizer. The differences in political beliefs, economic circumstances, and social backgrounds fade in rooms filled with cigar smoke. I have also discovered the culture of different cigar lounges. There is a culture within the culture. There are lounges with dilapidated furniture desperately in need of an upgrade. There are lounges with private rooms for members that allow for 24-hour access. Additionally, I have learned about different cigar blends, how cigar tobacco is grown, and the care put into each rolled cigar. Finally, I have also learned more about the people and families behind certain cigars.  All that I have learned is built into the cigar culture in the form of stories. Stories are powerful! Seth Godin states, ‘Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Marketing is an essential business tool to garner interest as well as to encourage consumers to purchase the “stuff that you make.” Good marketers can move “stuff” quickly, but great marketers can move “stuff” well. Moving “stuff” quickly and moving “stuff” well are not the same thing. Moving “stuff” quickly often leads to the lack of care and poor quality of the product. There is a greater focus on the gains for the producer and the consumer is an afterthought. Moving “stuff” well is about trial and error to release a quality product. There is a sincere focus on offering the best to the consumer. Quality is encompassed in a powerful story. A couple of months ago, I visited a cigar lounge in McKinney, Texas, and sat next to a…

The Art of Pairing: “It is Good for Kinsmen To Do So” by Reuben Ndjerareou In the West, there is an art to almost everything. Almost everything has an art form highlighting people’s skills, talents, and gifts. Furthermore, art must be aesthetic to the five senses (smell, touch, hearing, sight, and taste). This standard has led to phenomenal and creative experiences. These experiences come in the form of different types of car clubs that take immense pride in caring for and being knowledgeable about their vehicles. You can find these experiences in dog show competitions. The dogs are groomed, trained, and exhibited to highlight their owner’s profound care and love. These experiences of remarkable creativity are pronounced in food preparation, presentation, and consumption. Countless TV shows, restaurants, businesses, and the like cater to the palate of humanity, our kinsmen-ship. Whatever the industry or interest, for a holistic human experience, there is some type of art form. Pairing is an art form. Pairing is a term that covers a wide range of things. The Oxford Dictionary defines pairing as “the arrangement or match resulting from organizing or forming people or things into pairs.” This action of any pairing must be deliberate and identifiable, but most importantly, it must appeal to the five senses, especially taste, smell, and sight. I want to share two examples of pairings with cigars. Dave Yancy, aka Greybeard, is a connoisseur and aficionado of cigar and whisky pairings. I had the privilege to see Greybeard in action as he educated a few of us on properly drinking your whiskey neat. I mentioned to him that when I drink whiskey, it is always hot and burns in my esophagus as it goes down. Greybeards smiled and stroked his long white beard like an elder Stateman. He stated, “The…

CIGARS AND THE AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY OF UBUNTU A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF AN AFRICAN I first smoked a cigar out of interest with some friends in high school. I don’t remember much about my feelings, but it was fantastic. However, I didn’t get into smoking cigars, not because I opposed it. First, cigars were not a part of my community. I didn’t know anybody who smoked cigars regularly. Furthermore, my father is an African pastor. I recently told him about my interest in cigars, and he said nothing, but I knew from his silence that he did not like that I was smoking cigars. However, he graciously accompanied me to an event with my cigar-smoking friends. Despite the cigars, he did have a good time.  I only mention the adjective African because though the West has taken a liberal direction on many behaviors, Africa is still very conservative when it comes to certain behaviors, i.e., cigars.  Finally, I was an athlete and enjoyed being in shape; therefore, I didn’t want anything to hinder my ability to compete. Smoking cigars was so rare in my life that I’m sure I didn’t smoke more than two dozen cigars in 45 years. This changed seven months ago. Seven months ago, I started an exciting and unexpected journey. It is a journey that has been a shelter and a refuge in a turbulent season of my life. It is a journey in which I adopted cigars to join my new interests and pleasures of coffee, guns, cowboy boots, and hats. Since that journey began, I have averaged about six cigars a week. Therefore, every month, I smoke more cigars than I have had in all my life. I have enjoyed this journey so far and have discovered that to enjoy any cigar truly, you will…