Berbere preparation

A slightly blurry photo, unfortunately. These are some of the women who live or work in our compound. They were mashing chili peppers and ginger (and perhaps other things) in a large wooden mortar and pestle to make huge quantities of berbere spice mix. I estimate that they may make a bushel every three months. To a non Ethiopian (who likes hot food) this seems like a fatal quantity of hot spice!

The lady in the foreground has a prayer stick, a T shaped piece of wood which can be leaned on in church or elsewhere.