Coffee is one of the most popular beverages, and many people almost religiously drink their morning cup of Joe. While you are sipping your morning cup of coffee, and if you’re a believer, you may have asked yourself the question:
Who is the God of coffee? And where is she or he from?
Officially there is no coffee god. This is not surprising if we consider that coffee was discovered around the 9th century, long after most religions were founded. This means that you will not find a coffee god in the ancient texts of any religion. However, several gods are worthy of the title of coffee god for various reasons.
Who Is The God Of Coffee?
Before we turn to who the God of coffee might be, let’s talk about the history of coffee’s origin. Kaldi, a goat herder, discovered coffee by accident when his goats got a boost of energy after chewing some leaves from a nearby tree. The goats refused to fall asleep, prompting Kaldi to try the same thing to gain more power.
After his theory was confirmed by the aroma and taste of the coffee, he took parts of the coffee plant to this king. Who then experimented with different recipes, leading to the discovery of our beloved caffeinated beverage. It was not a specialty coffee, but it was the beginning.
All this was happening in the country of Ethiopia. If coffee was discovered in Ethiopia, it stands to reason that the God of coffee must also have come from Ethiopia. If we started from this idea, we could only think of one God who deserved the title of coffee god. Waaqa.
1. Waaqa
Waaqa or Waaq or Waq is the Ethiopian sky god. He is our Ethiopian nominee for the God of Coffee title. Waaqa belongs to the Waaqeffanna religion of the Oromo people. The Oromo people are the indigenous peoples of Ethiopia, and there are still over 1 million Oromos living in Ethiopia.
There are several reasons why Waaqa is such a worthy candidate:
The Oromo people have a special relationship with caffeine and coffee. Oromos believe that coffee is a gift from heaven. Since Waaqa is the God of heaven, the gift of coffee can be attributed to him.
We thank Waaqa for the delicious Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee that comes from the highlands of Ethiopia, which is considered the birthplace of coffee. Yirgacheffe coffee has a bright and floral flavor, making it very different from other types of coffee. Volcanica coffee is our favorite Ethiopian coffee, highly recommend you try it.
2. Ek Chuaj
Ek Chuaj, also called Ekchuah or Ek Chuah is the Mayan God of cocoa. He is also known as the God of trade with a backpack and spear. He transports goods and tells of the difficult ways of a merchant. For this reason, travelers and merchants worship him.
Cocoa was an important commodity among the Mayans and was even used as currency. Both cocoa and coffee have a rich and bittersweet taste, making the Mayan God a worthy competitor. But considering that coffee has no place in the Mayan civilization, he’s not having much luck with the title.
3. Mermaid
Have you ever seen the Starbucks logo and wondered what it is?
Well, it’s Siren, a mythical mermaid-like creature. The only reason this mythical creature is on this list is because of its connection to the most adorable coffee shop in the world.
Apart from that, the mermaid is far from being a deity and has no folklore that brings her close to the world of coffee. But we’re sure she’d love a good espresso.
4. Caffeina
The goddess Caffeina is the Roman goddess of energy and stamina. When we think of coffee, we can find these qualities in our cup of Joe.
Roman mythology is vast, and a goddess who gives energy and perseverance is certainly in the running for the title of the coffee goddess. The goddess is depicted as a lady rising from a hot cup of coffee. This beautiful God will give you clarity of thought, stimulation, and creativity.
One of the biggest problems with caffeine is that it was only recently developed. There is no single reference to it in history, and the first reference we could find is from 2006.
Caffeina exists now and is controversial. However, the argument for the title is pretty weak, and let us know if you find any arguments in favor of it.
5. Saint Drogo
Saint Drogo of Sebourg is a Flemish saint who was born in the 11th century. He is the patron saint of coffee, and master baristas venerate him.
Although the patronage is anachronistic, he is still considered the patron saint of the cup of coffee and the everyday café. Coffee didn’t catch on until the 15th century, so making him a god doesn’t make sense. Besides, he’s only a saint and didn’t rise to divinity as far as we know.
6. Hestia
Hestia is the goddess of heat and is a Greek candidate. Her name represents the hearth or fireplace where the coffee is prepared. Born of Cronus and Rhea, Hestia is considered pure and beautiful. She always received the first offering, which has nothing to do with coffee.
Since she is associated with the hearth, she can be considered for the title. The only problem is that coffee did not come to Rome until the 15th century.
In the 15th century, the Olympian gods were an outdated concept, and they couldn’t be associated with a beverage created in the 9th century.
7. Annapurna
Annapurna is not only the 10th highest mountain in the world (located in Nepal) but is also the Hindu Goddess of food and nourishment. Almost all Indians who belong to the Hindu religion know the goddess Annapurna.
Although she is the goddess of all things related to food and nourishment, it would be an exaggeration to call her the God of coffee, as coffee or the Coffea genus of flowering plants are not native to India.
8. Pamona
Pamona is the Roman goddess of fruit trees. Pamona is the goddess of fruit trees and gardens. Pamona also protects the above and helps in their cultivation.
We know that coffee is either a shrub or a tree, and Pamona protects both categories. But, to give it this title would be an exaggeration since coffee only came to Europe in the 15th century.
It also takes care of the growth and nutrition of fruit trees. Considering that coffee berries are more than that, we are sure that we would find a better candidate for the title.
9. Zao Jun
Zao Jun is the Chinese God of cooking and is also known as the God of cooks. He protects the home and the family. Once again, we are trying to make a connection between home and coffee with Zao Jun.
The earliest accounts of cooking date back to the 2nd century. So Zao Jun was around when coffee was discovered in the 9th century.
The stories about this Chinese God tell of a man who was later elevated to the rank of God.
10. Demeter
Demeter is a famous Greek goddess of harvest and agriculture. She deals in grains and cereals rather than fruit trees like coffee and others.
It may sound a bit harsh, but we can say that she is not the most suitable for the title, as grains and cereals are more suitable for her than coffee.
The Bottom Line: The God of Coffee
There you have it! We have introduced several gods and goddesses worldwide, and we found Waaqa, the Ethiopian God, to be the closest to the Coffee God.
Mainly because he is from the same country, the true birthplace of coffee: Ethiopia, and for the very special relationship the local Oromo ethnic group (who worship Waaqa) has with coffee and caffeine.
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