Eid Al-Adha (aka Eid Al-Kibr) "The Feast of the Sacrifice"

Outside hillside prayer near my site.

Eid Al-Adha ("The Feast of the Sacrifice") commemorates Abraham's willingness and obedience to sacrifice his son Ishmael to God (and God's mercy in substituting a lamb for Ishmael). This feast is part of the Haj, and takes place on the tenth of Dhu Al-Hijja of the Islamic calendar. For those on the Hajj and for many others the day begins with the sacrifice of an animal in commemoration of the Angel Gabriel's substitution of a lamb as Abraliam's sacrificial obligation. One-third of the meat is given to the poor, with the remainder shared with neighbors and family members.This holiday is then celebrated in much the same way as Eid Al-Fitr - with good food, gifts for children and general merrymaking. The pictures hereafter are those I took at my site here in Amizmiz.

Disclaimer: If you have weak stomach than you might want to bypass this journal entry, due to the graphic nature of the images. Believe it or not, this a very normal practice and later in the evening there was tons of news footage and recorded killings throughout Morocco. This is a very happy and proud day for Muslims.

Celebrating Eid: Myself w/ family & friends

Hamid (host brother 19yrs old) & the delivery of the lamb

Myself & the poor lamb prior to its demise (backyard of my host family's home)

Myself holding the lamb by a string (it was stronger than it looked)

Hamid giving it the throat-cutting signal

The initial cut

Murder weapon

"Red Room"

In this image the men are preparing the lamb for skinning. The man on the right has cut open a slit in the leg, and is blowing into it. This assists in the separation of the skin.

Myself holding the leg while they check to see if it's ready for skinning or not

AHh... now this is a Peace Corps shot. (myself holding the head as they insisted I take a photo with it)

They held the lamb up by its feet.

Little by little they continued removing the fur/skin from the lamb

Debowling the lamb (good thing the flash didn't work)

Neighbor kid practicing on the new meat-bag

Here's a shot of my host-mother cooking the lamb head (Yum)

After walking outside, I noticed that everyone was drying their skins outside.

Our neighbors asked me to take a family picture for them w/ their new addition to the home. It's actually a pretty good picture, but it's just alittle odd for my un-Moroccan eyes.

And now my house has just become a meat-locker (my room is on the left there)

I thought I heard someone knocking outside my door (only in Peace Corps)

Christmas @ Rick's Cafe Americain

Play it again Sam...

Rick's Cafe, the mythical saloon from the 1942 film "Casablanca" was finally transformed from celluloid to wood, glass and plaster thanks to the imagination and determination of an American woman enamoured of Morocco, Kathy Kriger. Set in an old courtyard-style mansion built against the walls of the Old Medina of Casablanca, the restaurant - piano bar is filled with architectural and decorative details reminiscent of the film: curved arches, a sculpted bar, balconies, balustrades as well as dramatic beaded and stenciled brass lighting and plants that cast luminous shadows on white walls. Details have been added that go beyond the film set in terms of ambience and comfort - four fireplaces, banquettes and an intimate private dining with view of the fishing port provide the background setting for an international menu specializing in Casablanca's fresh fish, vegetables and fruit. Guests steeped in the elegant atmosphere come to feel as though they are in the film, and each evening a new chapter unfolds in the lives of the characters who are part of today's Rick's Cafe.

Movie set of Rick's Cafe Americain (1940's)

Christmas lunch with my borrowed "Fez" hat on

Bar view on the first floor of Rick's Cafe Americain (2004)