Qehweya Kezwanê: The Kurdish Coffee Erased by Turkish National Branding
- Sherko Sabir
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Qehweya Kezwanê — Kurdish Terebinth Coffee
Qehweya Kezwanê is a traditional Kurdish hot beverage made from the roasted fruits of the terebinth tree (Pistacia terebinthus), harvested wild in the mountain forests of northern Kurdistan. Before the Turkish state rebranded it as "Menengiç Kahvesi" in the 1930s, this caffeine-free drink was exported to France and Europe under the label "Chicorée au Kurde" — Kurdish Chicory. It remains one of the clearest documented cases of a Kurdish food product absorbed into another nation's culinary identity. In 2024, the EU formalised the Turkish naming by granting Protected Designation of Origin status to "Gaziantep Menengiç Kahvesi."
Key Takeaways
• Made from roasted terebinth berries, not coffee beans — naturally caffeine-free
• Produced for over a century in Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, Mardin, and Batman
• French companies marketed it as "Chicorée au Kurde" from at least the early 1900s
• Turkification policies after 1923 rebranded it as Menengiç Kahvesi
• In 2024 the EU registered "Gaziantep Menengiç Kahvesi" as a Protected Designation of Origin
Quick Facts
Kurdish Name: Qehweya Kezwanê / Qehweya Kurdî / Qehweya Kezwanan
Rebranded As: Menengiç Kahvesi (Turkish), Gaziantep Menengiç Kahvesi (EU PDO), Qazwan (Bashur)
Type: Roasted terebinth berry hot drink (caffeine-free)
Region: Bakur (Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, Mardin, Batman, Siirt) and Bashur (Duhok)
Contested By: Turkish national branding; EU PDO (2024)
Status: HIGH — rebranded under Turkish naming since the 1930s
Origins and Ecology
Qehweya Kezwanê exists because of a specific tree growing in a specific landscape. The terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus), known as kizwan or kezwan in Kurdish, is a deciduous tree in the cashew family that thrives in the mountainous interior of the eastern Mediterranean. It grows wild across the Kurdish mountain zones of southeastern Anatolia — the oak-pistachio forest belt stretching through Diyarbakır, Adıyaman, Mardin, Batman, Siirt, and into the Zagros foothills.
The terebinth is hardy and drought-resistant, surviving in degraded terrain. Kurdish mountain communities harvested its small dark-red berries as both food and medicine for millennia. Ancient Mesopotamian and biblical texts reference terebinth resin and fruits. Archaeologists have documented human interaction with the tree since at least the second millennium BCE in the Zagros foothills.
Traditional Preparation
The berries are gathered in autumn, sun-dried, and slow-roasted until they develop a rich, nutty aroma. Modern production processes them into a thick, oily paste. The drink is brewed in a cezve: paste mixed with milk or water, heated gently until foaming, then poured into small cups. The traditional Kurdish method uses full-fat milk, producing a creamy drink with earthy, nutty flavour. It is caffeine-free, suitable for evening consumption and for children.
Cultural Role and Meaning
An everyday beverage consumed alongside meals or during social visits. Serving it to a guest is an act of warmth offered in traditional dîwan settings. In Sorani-speaking areas, the phrase "Noşî giyanit bêt!" accompanies the serving. Some sources call it the "women's coffee" of the Kurds. As a wild-harvested local drink, it reflects Kurdish mountain self-sufficiency: while urban Ottoman society imported coffee beans from Yemen, Kurdish communities brewed their own from what grew on their hillsides.
Contested Names: Rebranding, Absorption, and Erasure
From at least the early 1900s, roasted terebinth berries were exported from Kurdish regions to Europe. In France, the product was sold as "Chicorée au Kurde" — Kurdish Chicory — with packaging featuring Kurdish figures. A surviving packet from the 1930s is held at the Kurdish Exile Museum in Stockholm. Following the 1923 founding of the Turkish Republic, Kemalist policies rebranded the drink as "Menengiç Kahvesi." While some historians note the beverage is regionally shared and no specific state rebranding directive has been archived, the broader Turkification context is well established.
In 2021, the Turkish Patent Office registered "Gaziantep Menengiç Kahvesi." In 2024, the EU granted it Protected Designation of Origin status (Regulation 2024/2978), tracing the drink to Sultan Murad IV's 1600s Baghdad campaign with no mention of Kurdish origins. A product once sold in Europe as "Chicorée au Kurde" is now legally protected under a Turkish designation. In response, Dr. Karwan Sabah Hawrami of Salahaddin University called for renaming it "Kurdish coffee," and a UK company holds a trademark for the Kurdish branding.
Timeline
2nd millennium BCE — Ancient texts reference terebinth
1800s–1930s — Exported to France as "Chicorée au Kurde"
1923 — Turkish Republic; Turkification begins
1930s — Rebranded as Menengiç Kahvesi
2021 — Turkish trademark; Dr. Hawrami calls for name restoration
2024 — EU grants PDO to Gaziantep Menengiç Kahvesi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Qehweya Kezwanê?
A traditional Kurdish hot drink made from roasted terebinth berries. Naturally caffeine-free, produced in Kurdish mountain regions for over a century.
Is it the same as Menengiç Kahvesi?
Yes — same drink, different name. The Kurdish names predate the 1930s Turkish rebranding.
Why was it renamed?
Part of broader Turkification policies after 1923 that replaced Kurdish cultural markers with Turkish equivalents.
Is it actually coffee?
No — no coffee beans, no caffeine. The name reflects the cezve brewing method, not the ingredient.
Conclusion
Qehweya Kezwanê is more than a drink. A product once sold in Paris under a Kurdish name is now legally protected under a Turkish one. The terebinth trees still grow on Kurdish mountains, the berries are still harvested by Kurdish hands, and the drink is still brewed in Kurdish homes — but the international record now calls it something else. How does your family prepare this drink? Share your version in the comments.
References and Further Reading
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