My thoughts on Tabaski

Well, for as much as I had built up the dread in my mind over this holiday here called Tabaski... for the most part it wasn't too bad.  Now granted, even though we did have a house invite, we did not go because we thought we were having language class and well...  I need to be a little more holy before I can start putting down liver (just kidding!)  But for real, my roommate Becky got to eat sheep liver as well as other sheep parts..  I think I'll do it next November!
Anyhow.. you can learn a LOT of interesting things just by sitting on your balcony and watching the happenings on the street below.  We picked up a lot of stuff and confirmed it with our language/culture teacher the next day. 

1.  I have decided that Tabaski is a combination of three American holidays:  Christmas, Easter and Halloween.  That may seem like a stretch but here are my observations:

a.  Christmas = In America, we pick out a tree...  (well, not my family - as my mom prefers a fake tree... not only fake but fake WHITE.. like it really snows in Florida!) Anyhow..  here, they pick out their sheep.  It's a big deal.  The fatter the sheep/tree - the better.  You have to care for your tree - water it, decorate it.  Here, you care for your sheep (until you kill it), wash it, sometimes put a red ribbon around it's neck. 

b.  Easter = well, there is an obvious connection of sacrifice.  They are sacrificing for their sins.  Our sacrifice has been paid.  But it's similar in that everyone wears their best clothes.  They will fork out a lot of money for getting very nice new outfits made for the entire family! 

c.  Halloween = Since families that purchase a sheep are supposed to give some meat away to people that are less fortunate, people that are less fortunate go "trick or treating"... for MUTTON!  Literally..  we watched a man come up to a house, ring the doorbell (we live in a wealthier neighborhood), speak to the person who answered, that person took his plastic bag, went inside, filled it up with meat (as he waited) and return to give it to him.  I wonder if they have a phrase they have to say on the equivalent of trick or sheep............ 

About the give the lady his pumpkin green plastic bag....

No Trick today...  Only sheep meat!

2.  The Talibe boys (this is a whole other blog post in and of itself) are young boys who are under the tutelage of a Mslm leader but they go around collecting money all day.  It's really really sad.  They walk around with no shoes and a bucket to collect money.  Well, on Tabaski everyone gives them sheep meat.  They put it in their buckets.  Some people will actually come and buy the meat from them that they got for free.

It's hard to see.. but that's meat in their buckets.

And someone checking out the selection of cheap sheep meat from the boys.

3.  There are guys willing to kill your sheep for you.  They walk around clinging their knives together down the road to let you know that they are offering their services.  Their payment?  Money and sheep meat.

4.  I only had to see one discarded sheep skin (and apparently the head was right next to it but I looked away).  We also saw several holes that people dig in the road to drain the blood of the sheep into.  This is apparently the most important aspect since this covers their sins.

5.  I was SERIOUSLY surprised at how good the sheep smelled as people were cooking it.  I mean..  it was like firing a grill up in the USA.  I could tell it was marinated and it smelled really good. 

6.  Becky received some sheep meat.  In fact, she received sheep leg.  Leg o sheep.  So.. she cooked it tonight.  I had already eaten dinner (with the team that came in!! yay!) but I did taste her sheep leg.. It really was not bad.  A little on the chewy side but decent. 

I think that's enough ramblings on Tabaski.  There are still quite a few "lucky" sheep who are still alive!  That is.. until they are fatter next year!