Eid Ad7a Mobarak Said!

Yesterday in Morocco people were celebrating one of the most important holidays for Muslims, Eid ul-Adha. It's also called the big holiday, and is celebrated in honor of the prophet Abraham when he intended to sacrifice his son Ismail as a proof of his loyalty to God. Eid ul-Adha is translated into English as "The Feast of Sacrifice", when Muslims all over the world present an animal (usually a cow or a sheep) sacrifice as a gratitude action for God saving the Prophet Ismail's life.

My host family sacrificed three sheep, I haven't seen slottering them in the morning, but it's happening in the house, with the presence of family members, even children. It's done by a butcher, who comes with his helps, and kills animals according to the ritual. I just saw this moment in local TV, when king's sheep had been slottered, and it's enough for my vegetarian heart ;) Then the guts and other organs of the animal are taken out, washed and prepared to be eaten. The rest of the body hangs on a hook for one day, to release all toxines before being prepared to consumption. And the head is being grilled and will be served today with cuscus.

All those who know me and my views on killing and eating animals are probably asking themselves a question, how am I coping with this... Well, the answer is simple - I'm adapting to the culture as much as possible, and although I'm not trying all those delicious dishes, I'm participating in everything that my host family does. When I heard about this fest for the first time, it wasn't easy for me to imagine taking part in it. But I had a lot of time to think it over, and I accepted the invitation, even though it's not aligned with my values.

And to be honest, yesterday I really enjoyed the time with family, even sitting with women in the kitchen, while they were cleaning the guts, and preparing the meat barbecues, mincing the meat, cooking brains, etc. The atmosphere was so warm, and everyone was respecting my choice, and not trying to "convert" me ;) We had nice time, and I liked a lot the feeling of being there, all together, around the table. It was so natural and relaxed environment, everybody just chatting, without a pressure to say something clever, or important. The conversations were pleasurable, not a source of frustration or disagreement, how it happens from time to time in Poland. And even people were not agreeing sometimes, they were discussing emotionally, with loud voices, in the end it was all good, and cool. The general attitude of these people is also pictured by the way they eat - all together from one bowl, making lot of mess on the table, passing some tasty chunks of the meat to each other. It feels so good, and easy going. No one has a "stick in his ass", how we say in polish. It's about enjoying the time together, without thinking how well mannered we should be, bright, intelligent, or successful.

I think it's really starting to influence me in a positive way, I'm becoming so much more relaxed and spontaneous, then how I used to be. I don't have any negative thoughts, not trying to restrict myself, or to "be right and accurate". I've learned a lot about my feelings, and I became connected to them much more. Souhail is still telling me sometimes that "I think too much", but my opinion is that I've changed a lot on this field, and now I'm thinking just enough to balance it with feelings, and other states of mind :P

So... Eid Ad7a Mobarak Said to all my Moroccan friends, and Wesolych Swiat to my dear friends in Poland, and other best wishes to all other people around the world who may be reading this text :)))


Guts of the sheep served for the dinner, first day.


Sheep's head on cuscus, second day lunch.