Today I rolled small pieces of fat into mouton stomach lining and then wrapped mouton intestine around it. "Unfortunately" we left before I was able to sample this sumptious treat! :)
Animal lovers beware...Tabaski is NOT for you. Although, it was much easier to watch than I had imagined. We arrived at the tailor's shop this morning shortly before 8. Finding a bus into town was much easier than anticipated! Mbaye (our tailor) was still working on last minute outfits for the day. When he finished he took us to his house where we met his 4 brothers and 2 sisters and their various wives and husbands and children! They had 6 sheep that they were going to kill. One was a huge one that his father had bought!
At 9:30 all the men went to the mosque to pray and when they came back the real work began. All 6 sheep were brought outside and tied to various posts. 6 holes were dug for the blood to drain in to. Then one by one the sheep were pushed/carried to the holes, placed on the ground and their throats were cut over the holes. I had a whole range of emotions going on - intrigue, disgust, sadness, apathy....I wasn't sure how I was feeling. Lenny and I documented it well though, so those of you interested can see the whole process at some point. I wont post the most graphic photos out of sympathy for those who don't want to see.
It was quite a process. Mbaye's father killed the first mouton, the biggest. Then each brother killed one after. All the little boys were right there helping hold down the sheep.
The sheep were then carried back into the courtyard of the house were the men began to prepare the meat. The women began to cook the meat and after awhile everyone was occupied with prepping the meat. I helped one of the daughters prepare the onion sauce that went with lunch! MMMM tasty!
The day was mostly spent sitting around and dealing with the meat. I don't know if you can picture it but 6 sheep is a LOT of meat. There was also a whole ritual of taking certain pieces to neighbours as 'gifts' and receiving certain pieces as well! At one point a man came in and sang a song and people were dancing!
It was all very festive and everyone was helping!
In the afternoon there was a bit of a lull as not all of the sheep killed were being processed. Some would wait until tomorrow.
Lenny and I went for a bit of a walk and when we came back we got to eat again! We got to eat with the men...which was strange. But I guess we were guests! The younger women all ate together and then the older women ate together.
Now I am all sheeped out...well, really, all meat-ed out in general for a good long time to come! I can still smell mouton stomach on my hands...
All in all a fantastic Tabaski celebrated with a wonderful family!! We will definitely go back and spend time with them. Despite Mbaye's iffy tailoring skills :)
Tomorrow -- off to Dakar!
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2 comments:
Sarah, where are you?!
You have us worried!
Give us some news on the group wall soon please!!
Hi Maxime (and others who may wonder where Sarah is).
She spent Christmas in Timbuktu, camping in the desert and she is now on her way to Burkina Faso. She is travelling with her friend, Lenny, and they are having some fantastic experiences. Not much internet connection to central Mali, but she txts us once in a while and we have spoken to her by phone. She will be on the road for another 10 days before she has to get back to school. Sherry
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