Eid at M's

Eid El Adha is the Muslim "Festival of the Sacrifice."

Eid this year took place on the 27th or so, which depended on the Islamic Lunar Calendar (a bit hard to plan vacations....)- but Eid is a time to be at home, with fami ly. It is a day of visits, sharing, food, and sacrifice! It is also a day when everyone has on their best outfits, often new clothing.

The sacrifice part was the culturally fascinating one for me--after I had realized that I had never seen an animal slaughtered. Traditionally, for Eid families sacrifice a sheep if they are able to buy one (they can run from $300-$500 USD)- and others pool funds and buy a cow. The animal is divided into three parts:

• 1/3 for the poor
• 1/3 for friends and family
• 1/3 for you to keep

For Eid, 3,000 cows were allowed in for Eid-Al-Adha as a "goodwill gesture" from Israel. (That also made someone a pretty penny). The festivities began when I walked out of my apartment and found blood running down the streets.

For Eid, my sweet friend M invited me over to spend the day with her generous family who opened their warm home and their culture for a Colombian girl in town! The victim (below)was tied up to the garden-- and already sensing something was up, at 8am, when everyone was dressed to the nines.

At about 9:00am the butcher and his three sons arrived.

Eid Al-Adha is certainly a big day for butchers and their families, and they go from home to home slaughtering the animals for those who don't have the expertise. The ensemble included a cutting stand made out of a tree trunk, 3 knives, 3 expert boys, and the art of skinning and preparing the animal.

Focus on the oranges if you can bear to see blood...

After the sheep is skinned, it is hung, gutted and prepared for chopping.

And finally, a complete meal within an hour thanks to M's mother. One of the most divine cuts of lamb I've ever had!