Last Tuesday was Tabaski : an Islamic feast (Eid al-Kebir) in Moré called Kibisi, and in French the Fête des Moutons – the Feast of the Sheep. Well, for the Sheep itself it wasn’t such a feast! For Sodré’s family alone four were killed. (Halal procedures, of course).
Originally the feast commemorates Ibrahim’s (yes, Abraham is the same guy!) readiness to sacrifice his son on God’s command, and the last-minute substitution of a ram. It also coincides with the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, and is the most important Muslum event, marked in most countries by great feasts with roast sheep and a two day public holiday. Since the Islamic calendar is based on 12 lunar months, the day of Tabaski varies every year. For Sodré’s family this day is extra special, because Salif Sodré was born on the day of Tabaski. His mother therefore often calls him ‘Kibisi’. This is why he celebrates his birthday on this day as well. It is apparently a great honor to give birth to a son on Kibisi, and this son is supposed to be very special. So my contact person Sodré is indeed an extraordinary man!
Two weeks before Tabaski, sheep prices rice steeply, as every family is expected to provide one during the celebrations. The feast started at 5 am and lasted until late in the night. The women were all day at the back of the house preparing a great meal: salads, rice, couscous, rice, spaghetti, grilled chicken and more rice!
At 10 am I went with Sodré and the children to ‘the prayers’: everybody wore his newest and best clothes. Women wore a headscarf, and so did I….! On a huge square thousands of people gathered together. Men and women separated. First there were rows of men after which the rows with women followed. Everybody had brought a carpet for the prayer and you had to take your shoes off. In the open air with the sun burning in my neck. The ceremony took one hour. I found it very strange to participate in it and to kneel for a God that I do not know. I felt extremely uncomfortable and honestly speaking I did not like it at all. However, this is such an important event to the inhabitants of this region, that I am glad that I did it.
When we got home the meal was almost ready. While the women were preparing the meal, the men were busy with the sheep. Unfortunately I missed the slaughtering part… But suddenly a man walked to the back of the house with a completely skinned sheep over his shoulder! Only the head was untouched. He hung the sheep with a rope around his neck in a tree. After that he did the same with another sheep. One-third of the slaughtered animal is supposed to be given to the poor, one-third to friends and one-third is left for the family. Because I am white I have to sit and eat with the men. While the women were eating at the back. However, whenever possible I try to be with the women and see what they’re doing. We have been eating all day. No really: ALL DAY! I couldn’t see any sheep or rice anymore afterwards! But it was a good experience and I was lucky to be part of it and to take loads of pictures. Unfortunately I am not yet able to put pictures on the web... hopefully next time.
à plus!
