Reflections On My Past Experiences With Local Teamakers

Mai Shayi, "brewer of tea", a local teamaker in Nigeria

Life is a series of experiences. Sometimes, these experiences are pleasant, while at other times, they are terrible.

The photo of the foreign teamaker that set off my old memories

Recently, while researching software that I intended to install on my computer, I came across a photo that evoked old and pleasant memories from my childhood. The photo I happened to stumble upon was about a local teamaker, whom the writer of the software review article I was reading at the time encountered on his visit to Indonesia.

Two Mai Shayis and their customers

After I saw the teamaker's photo, a recollection of memories of my experiences with his Nigerian counterparts in the neighbourhood where I resided during my childhood began to go through my mind. These thoughts made me feel nostalgic as I recalled how excited I often felt whenever I went to the outdoor stalls of these tea makers.

People eating at a Mai Shai's outdoor stall

These teamakers, who are commonly called Mai Shayis in Nigeria, which means "brewer of tea" in the Hausa language, originate from the Northern part of the country and are predominantly Hausas. They migrate to different regions of the country to ply their trade and provide food services to satisfy the needs of residents of their host communities.

Bread on display at a Mai Shayi's table

Mai Shayis run their businesses in a modest setting that typically consists of sets of tables and benches for customers to dine, a special table for the preparation of food ordered, and a kiosk where customers can purchase items such as bread displayed for selection.

A Mai Shayi preparing for service

Although Mai Shayis are well-known for tea making, tea is not the only item they offer on their menu. In addition to tea, they also serve easily prepared foods, known as fast foods, such as bread, fried eggs, noodles, and koko (millet porridge) to their customers. They also have a reputation for efficiency and dexterity in preparing these foods. For instance, they rapidly and finely chop onions added to food being prepared and also flip fried eggs in pans with the precision and flair of master chefs.

A Mai Shayi pouring tea into cups

However, among all the skills demonstrated by the Mai Shayis when preparing food, their technique of making tea fascinated me the most. The entire tea-making process starts with the pouring of hot or warm water, according to the customer's preference, into a cup that contains a tea bag and a mixture of milk, coffee, or chocolate-malted flavored powder such as Milo, and sugar.

Tea making by a Mai Shayi

After this, the Mai Shayis get another cup and begin to pour the tea between the two cups. While pouring the tea between the two cups, one is held at a high height while the other is placed below. The purpose of pouring the tea between the two cups is to get the ingredients to mix properly and give the tea a good consistency. Once this has been achieved, the Mai Shayis serve the customer the beverage, accompanied either by a loaf of bread and fried eggs or a dish of noodles.

Mai Shayis and the art of tea making

Upon exploring my old memories that were triggered by the photo I came across while reading a review of software that I wanted to install on my computer, I realised that I enjoyed watching Mai Shayis preparing tea for their customers. I often viewed their preparation of tea as an artistic demonstration.

Although the period when I actively patronised the services of Mai Shayis was during my childhood, I look forward to visiting them soon in my present neighbourhood to discover if I would still relish and enjoy their offerings as I did in the past. Perhaps when I get to do this, I may even get a better experience and build on the pleasant old memories of my encounters with them.

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Thanks for reading,
Have a splendid day folks.

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