A Stammtisch (German for "regulars' table") is a table in a restaurant or café where a group of people regularly meets informally.
In my village “Düdingen/Guin” in Canton Freiburg/ Fribourg, each restaurant had a “Stammtisch”. When my father went for a coffee or an apéro, he was sitting at the “Stammtisch” and introduced me to this culture.
Later in my life (2008-2012), when I was Head of the Swiss Embassy in Abu Dhabi, I was introduced in the culture of the “Majilis”.
Majlis are ‘sitting places’ where community members gather to discuss local events and issues, exchange news, receive guests, socialize and be entertained. The Majlis is where the community gathers to resolve problems, pay condolences and hold wedding receptions. It is typically a large space with carpets on the floor and cushions against the wall. There is usually a stove or fire to prepare coffee and other hot beverages. The Majlis space is open to all people and may be frequented by family members, tribes and inhabitants of the same neighbourhood, and other remote neighbourhoods. Community elders are considered true bearers, especially those with extensive knowledge concerning nature, genealogy and tribal history. Judges and religious sheikhs have special importance in the Majlis as they adjudicate on disputes and clarify political, social and religious rights and responsibilities. Women have their own Majlis, although some prominent women attend other Majlis, which are particularly academic or literary in nature. Majlis also play an important role in the transfer of oral heritage, including folk stories, folk songs and ‘Nabati’ poetry. As Majlis spaces are open to all age groups knowledge is mostly transmitted informally as children accompany community members on their visits. Through observing elders in the Majlis, young people learn the manners and ethics of their community, dialogue and listening skills, and respect for the opinion of others.
I discovered the similarities and differences between the culture of the “Stammtisch” and the “Majilis”. For my 50th birthday in 2011, I invited my friends in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to a 50-hour Majilis and wrote a small booklet about it afterwards.
Recently I met a citizen from Osnabrück/Germany in Berne. He was telling me about the oldest “Stammtisch” (1819) in Europe, at “Klause” in Osnabrück. He sent me a book about it, and we can read in the introduction the following:
