Artists' Tea cups for UC Davis Global Tea Institute Collection of Art and Material Culture

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Nine Died

Tea is something that we all share.
- Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Guantánamo torture survivor

When someone sits, sips, and reflects over a cup of tea there is space to ask questions about one’s relationship to the world: a world that is filled with dehumanization, war, and destruction, but also moments of beauty, love, and humanity. Nine Died, by the Tea Project (Aaron Hughes & Amber Ginsburg), memorializes the lost lives of nine “forever prisoners” of Guantánamo in nine teacups. Each unique cup bears the prisoner’s name and country of citizenship, and is engraved with indigenous flowers from that country. These engraved teacups were inspired by the practice, among Guantánamo’s prisoners, of carving into the styrofoam cups that they sipped tea from. As a former prison guard put it: “One thing I miss is the cups… They would cover the things with
flowers… I used to love those little cups.”

Donations provide general support to UC Davis Global Tea Institute, including our current priority of purchasing a set of teacups, along with a specially crafted box for transportation and storage purpose.

The UC Davis Global Tea Institute seeks to acquire the Nine Died teacups as an addition to its museum quality collection of historical teawares. The GTI is the first and only institution for the comprehensive study of tea culture and science in the world. The Nine Died were featured in the GTI’s “Tea and Peace” exhibition, celebrating its 10 year anniversary. By acquiring the Nine Died teacups, UC Davis will keep alive and celebrate the memory of those whose life and death was marked by historical injustice, hope for freedom, and a yearning for human connection through the simple warmth of a cup of tea.