From Hand to Mouth: Reflections on the Multivocality of Gursha in Ethiopia

The custom of feeding a person sitting at one's table by placing a handful of sumptuous food in his or her mouth is a unique Ethiopian commensal practice, known as gursha. The present article aims at eliciting and examining a plethora of associations regarding this convivial, hospitable practice. Based on a wide range of sources, it examines gursha as a dynamic canvas for a wide spectrum of social, historical, and religious associations. The article propose to conceptualize gursha as a "dominant gesture"that draws upon and combines secular and religious sentiments.