Captain’s Coffee Addiction: A Lifelong Habit

July 13, 2024 10:17 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Nicholas Mwai.

For the past seven years, 85-year-old John Tabir has been a daily fixture at the Jungle Café in Port Vila, where he faithfully orders his favorite espresso.

A habit that started during his days as a vessel captain in the colonial era, Tabir’s love for coffee has only grown stronger with time.

”He has been coming here and ordering his favorite coffee, which is the espresso, for more than seven years,” a staff member at the Jungle Café shared.

Tabir himself traces his coffee addiction back to his time at sea. “I got addicted to coffee when I was serving as a captain, we worked a lot and didn’t have rest for days and nights, coffee was one of the things that kept me going,” he said.

“I am from the island of Ambrym, in the northern part of the island in a village called Pinbang.

“We had a basis back then, but now the reef has grown, and boats have to find a proper place to dock. We still use that place as the passage but not like back then.”

Tabir’s seafaring career began during the colonial era. “I was a ship captain, I spent ten years at sea, back when the country was still called the New Hebrides,” he recounted.

“The ship I captained was originally owned by a white man who sold it to a Vietnamese, they were based in Santo.”

The vessel, which collected copra, traveled around the northern islands of Vanuatu. “We were collecting copra at Ambae, Pentecost, Maewo, Ambrym, Malekula, and also going around Santo and Malo,” Tabir said.

“After some time, the two governments had to stop the ship because it was old and couldn’t service anymore. This caused me to finish working as a captain and do other jobs.”

Following the end of his maritime career, Tabir was offered a position by the French government. “The French government at that time asked me if I could work in the engine room of a vessel that was transporting nickel to France, but I had to look after my dad because he was too old, so I did not work there. I have worked in many different jobs back then.”

Despite the changes in his career, Tabir’s coffee habit remained steadfast. “Every day, I have to drink coffee. Sometimes, if I drink this coffee, I may not have lunch because it keeps my body strong, or even supper,” he said.

“One of the things I see that coffee helps me with is that it makes me feel fresh.

“It helps me a lot. I have been drinking coffee since I finished working on the ship until now.”