Pre-Tabaski post!

Tabaski!

Tabaski is a Muslim holiday all about mouton (sheep)! Apparently when Abraham was going to sacrifice his son to god, god replaced Ishmael (I think that was the son) with a Mouton. So every year Muslims around the world celebrate this sacrifice by they themselves sacrificing a mouton.

(yes, I am aware that mouton is the french word and that there is a proper english word but mouton just sounds so much better)

There is a whole intense spirit around Tabaski that is very similar to the Christmas spirit. Although much less commercial and more about being with the family. Although, I am sure Tabaski is a big economic boost at the same time as people are buying gifts and clothing for the big day!!

Imagine for a minute the whole ritual of going to pick out a Christmas tree. You go and you select the one that is the most within your means (both in terms of price and space), you either cut it down or you select it out of the precut pile. Then you throw it up on the roof of your car, maybe even put it in a bag first, tie it down and off you go! Now mentally replace the image of the tree with that of a mouton…and there you have tabaski spirit ☺ You go and pick out your mouton….put it in a bag….throw it on the roof…tie it down….bring it home! But instead of decorating your mouton you slaughter it and eat it…

For Tabaski, it is the obligation of every Muslim (I think just the men) to buy a mouton if they can afford it. If you can afford more you buy more than one and share with your neighbours. It is a day of prayer, eating, and being with family. If you aren’t Muslim, that doesn’t matter you will still get tons of invites to spend Tabaski with a Muslim family. I don’t think I can count the number of people we have turned down and not because we are just ‘oh so popular’ but because it is part of the tradition to share and be open and welcoming. Everyone has been talking about Tabaski for weeks…..everyone goes home to be with their families. Campus right now is so empty because people are at home preparing. Everywhere you go there is Tabaski spirit. Saint Louis is a MESS to walk through because you have to dodge all the vendors selling beautiful outfits to wear, food, gifts and of course the most important. It is almost dangerous to walk in town because you might get stuck up against a car while a herd of mouton go by with their sharp little horns…but so far I have managed to avoid any gouging!

Ooohh it is just so exciting!! Lenny and I are spending Tabaski with our tailor. It is a little funny because, as we have discovered, our tailor is not necessarily the most…how to put it…skilled tailor in Saint Louis. But he has a big heart and he invited us a long time ago! So tomorrow morning we are going to leave campus at 7 am to be in town by 8. The reason it might take so long is we have to wait for a nice person driving by to stop and pick us up. Taxis don’t really work on Tabaski….

Then we will spend the whole day with the tailor and his family. There is apparently a big prayer at 10….there is the killing of the mouton….there is the preparation of the food…and then eating of the food. I am sure there are a whole lot of other things going on too but I can write about that after the fact ☺

Tomorrow night we will return to campus for a nice rest and then early Wednesday morning Lenny and I are off to Dakar. We aren’t entirely sure of our plan but we will start with going to Dakar and trying to figure out the train schedule to Bamako in Mali. From there, who knows….we will see how far we get.

So – for now….Dewenati (sort of means…bonne fete for this year and years to come) and Dem leen chi jamm neuw chi jamm (go in peace and return in peace)!