Howlie!
Eid Kbir, a time for family, food and celebration. It is actually very much like Thanksgiving. The men slaughter and skin the sheep with as much pride and thoroughness as a family carves a thanksgiving turkey, the kids run in circles until one adult finally gets up enough energy to take them to a park to play some soccer, and everyone eats a lot. Since I live with grandparents most of the children came with their families to our house to celebrate, and since there were so many of us, we had two sheep to kill!
The morning was fun, we woke up, had a 'light' breakfast then I helped the women cook as we turned up the music and had a kitchen dance party. Then the men announced it was time and I walked up the stairs to the roof with all the kids shouting 'howlie howlie howlie' which means sheep in darija. My host mom, set up a charcoal fire on which they later grilled the hoofs and heads. The men hosed down a secluded section, which the other sheep couldn't see. Then they held the sheep down and my host father said a few words before cutting its throat with a special gigantic knife. The whole family had made sure that I had a clear view of the blood and gore. I have to say as gross as it was to see an animal be killed and then know I would later be eating it, it was extremely humane. No sheep is as cleanly killed and thoroughly eaten as a sheep on Eid Kbir. I know I am glossing over a lot of details, but it was such an experience that thoroughly defines 'you had to be there to understand'.
The women cleaned the stomach and organs that the men brought over then took them downstairs to be made into a stew that I didn't touch. But I did try a bit of a kebab of liver and heart. It is not something that I ever need to try again, but as a guest they handed me one of the first ones, so I figured why not, and got it over with. Then I went back to munching all the salads which was just fine with me as they are delicious. Later in the afternoon I went out with the family and played soccer at a park next to a natural spring which was really fun and our team won, which just added to the fun.
After a dinner of more sheep, with a brain stew again and salad for me I was seriously ready for some sleep--most families are exhausting, but somehow it's even mroe so when you have to work at trying to understand any basic things they say.
Overall it as an experience that I would not want to have missed, but I don"t need to do it again anytime soon. We had our last Arabic class today and were preparing to leave Fes, a bittersweet goodbye. We love it here, but are psyched to head towards home.