The day the sheep came early.

Today I shall not post any pictures but I would like to forewarn you that this post will run a bit to the gross side. Prepare yourselves. Or don't read it because it's 3id Kbir-Al-Adha time in Morocco, which means, Moroccan Christmas time, a.k.a., 'let's kill the sheep!'

This holiday season I have decided to spend some quality time in my friend Rachel's town. She has dubbed her town 'Christmas Village,' in an order to provide a little anonymity. Anyways, Rachel asked me to accompany her during this 3id (Arabic for Holiday) because like me, she was a vegetarian in America. Neither she nor I relish the thought of seeing sheep being slaughtered ritually. But let's recap what this holiday is about. 

Recall the story of the prophet Abraham's attempt to sacrifice his son Isaac found in Genesis 22. I'll quickly paraphrase the story: God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son but at the last moment, He intervened and stopped Abraham's hand. Abraham then noticed a ram caught in the bushes nearby and slaughtered it in sacrifice to God.

 Muslim's commemorate this miracle in two ways. The holiday not only signifies the end of the Hajj (or the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca made by Muslims) but it also is celebrated by ritually sacrificing a sheep. If you'd like to know more, click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/islam/eid_haj.shtml

So Aly, you might be thinking, 'I was reading your title of this post and it occurred to me that wouldn't it be odd that a sheep would come early since it's not the Holiday yet?" (The holiday is November 7th this year). Why yes, dear reader! You are correct! I was not expecting to see a dead sheep yesterday, but see it I did. Here's the story: Rachel and I wanted to get some neat looking Berber Henna (think interesting geometrical lines traced in dark brown color on the hands and feet). Rachel had previously arranged with a family to find a woman to give us henna. At noon yesterday we went to the house, expecting to find the henna artist waiting for us. Instead we found a sheep carcass freshly killed, waiting for us in the entryway of the house. Rachel and I were both a bit surprised because we thought the holiday wasn't until Monday. In any event, we entered the house and waited patiently for a few hours before it became apparent  that henna wasn't coming but lunch was. Rachel and I have both done 3id kbir before and have explained to both our communities our feelings about meat (i.e. we don't eat it). So the family, wanting to please us, gathered some eggs and boiled them and asked if they could give us chicken. We agreed (I mean...you have to eat some meat here....it would be too offensive not to). They then served us a plate, which they called 'chicken,' but in reality was actually goat meat with boiled eggs around it. 

Retelling this story just makes me want to put my face in my hands. Anyways, we left back to our house and spent the evening drawing a mural on Rachel's wall. I'll post pictures of it soon. 

Happy 3id everybody! 3id Mubarak!