A cartoon about Crimean Tatar coffee culture has been released in Ukraine

The educational project "Book Journey: Ukraine" has dedicated the first animated film of its new season to the traditional culture of Crimea. The film tells the story of Crimean Tatar coffee. 

The film is available on YouTube.

The video explores the history and cultural significance of coffee for the Crimean Tatar people. The information is presented through the lens of a captivating journey through time. The main character, Ms. Torbinka, explains how coffee beans made their way to Crimea via trade routes and how the Crimean Tatars developed their own unique tradition of preparing this beverage. The video explains the use of special copper grinders—degirmens—and the brewing of coffee on hot sand.

The cartoon also depicts the difficult history of the Crimean Tatars—in particular, the 1944 deportation. For this displaced people, coffee became a symbol of home and remembrance. Even in a foreign land, traditions such as brewing coffee for guests or to celebrate good news helped people maintain their connection to their homeland.

The main character is voiced by Crimean Tatar journalist and activist Nadzhie Ametova.

The “Travel Book: Culture of Crimea” season consists of three short films, each five minutes long. The first film has already been released. The second will feature a dance that remains an integral part of Crimean Tatar weddings to this day, and the third will focus on ornek—a system of symbols that was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2021.

Юлія Калабайда