Tomorrow is Eid, not today as in most of the Mahgreb and Britain, Morocco is just that bit too far west an is a day later in siting the new moon. Ou friend Mohammed can be quite bitter in explaining how Gaddaffi messes everything by deciding in advance and thinking you can just predict the new moon when you have to wait for it to be seen and then it is a day late in Morocco. but then we found the calender given out by Bricoma last New Year and there it was in print - Eid on the 17th November not the 16th.
Eid el Ahdda or Eid al Khebir is the feast of the sacrfice commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, his firstborn, not Isaac as in the bible or the Rough Guide, and reminds us how we must be willing to sacrifice that which is most precious in ourselves to the will of God. Every family must sacrifice a sheep and every family that can afford to does so. Traditionally part of the sacrifice should be given in alms.
A sheep costs 1000 -3000 dirhams depending on size; that is £80-£250. Bearing in mind that a caretaker, roadsweeper or employed labourer only gets 1200dirhams a monththat is a considerable investment.
The festival is the main one of the year and evryone returns home from the city of even from abroad. The atmosphere generally is of Xmas in the 1950s and the last couple of weeks have built up in increasing activity.
For the last 10 days or so the normal market stall have been selling fodder alongside the vegetables. Then about a week ago there was an increase in informal stalls selling knives and choppers. Bricoma expanded its range of barbeques and had 2 large gas models. (Gas barbecues are difficult to find at other times of year and are expensive. We,brought one in in a suitcase.)
On Friday wooden blocks appeared sawn from tree trunks and informal "sheep shops" opened up in peoples' garages. On saturday the increase in out of towners with suitcases became obvious with office workers from Casa returning for a weeks holiday. The porters who loiter round the square with handcarts waiting for business became increasingly active.
Sunday was the last regular market before Eid and was the major sheep market for the region. We did not go to the beast market this year as we know it is frantic but went last year and I put some pictures on the Dar Barbara Facebook page. Town was heaving with sheep being transported by every means possible. The villagers from the Atlas come in to sell sheep and then spend the proceeds on the other essentials for the festival.
Town itself was very very busy. Sheep being moved by every means possible, lorry, pickup truck,"Camel" motorbike pickup, donkey cart, hand cart, scooter, cycle basket, wrapped round shoulders, led on string. The secret is to tie all four feet together. Once this is acheived the sheep lies supine and seemingly content and silent; but acheiving that may involve some protest or attempt to break for freedom.
Firelighters and barbcues appeared on stalls. Bakers have pyramids of more exotic sweetmeat than usual. The thing is to take a box and fill it with some from each pile like a Woolie's pick and mix.
Yesterday the Berber souk was inpenetrable. Villagers had stayed in town and were buying sweetmeats, salt and other supplies like there was no tomorrow. Loads of informal stalls had set up sellingclothes and shoes and plasticised tablecloths and wall posters from the religous to romantic scenery to Barcalona and Christiano Rinaldo posters. Meanwhile the tourist stalls, tailors and carpenters were deserted.
Today was much calmer the artisans, carpenters, ironwrights, butchers and electric scooter stores are all closed. The villagers have returned to their villages. There are groups of happy young men in the streets, coffee shops and orange sellers. These seem to be a mixture of returnees and said artisans. In Britain before Xmas they would be in the pub. This is a much more decorous passagio but seems to serve the same purpose of getting them out of the house while the women get on with the preparations. Everywhere was closing up at lunch time. Pickups have been driving round delivering sheep to the door and the smell of smoke suggests that people are setting up their barbecues with a dry run.
Eid el Ahdda or Eid al Khebir is the feast of the sacrfice commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, his firstborn, not Isaac as in the bible or the Rough Guide, and reminds us how we must be willing to sacrifice that which is most precious in ourselves to the will of God. Every family must sacrifice a sheep and every family that can afford to does so. Traditionally part of the sacrifice should be given in alms.
A sheep costs 1000 -3000 dirhams depending on size; that is £80-£250. Bearing in mind that a caretaker, roadsweeper or employed labourer only gets 1200dirhams a monththat is a considerable investment.
The festival is the main one of the year and evryone returns home from the city of even from abroad. The atmosphere generally is of Xmas in the 1950s and the last couple of weeks have built up in increasing activity.
For the last 10 days or so the normal market stall have been selling fodder alongside the vegetables. Then about a week ago there was an increase in informal stalls selling knives and choppers. Bricoma expanded its range of barbeques and had 2 large gas models. (Gas barbecues are difficult to find at other times of year and are expensive. We,brought one in in a suitcase.)
On Friday wooden blocks appeared sawn from tree trunks and informal "sheep shops" opened up in peoples' garages. On saturday the increase in out of towners with suitcases became obvious with office workers from Casa returning for a weeks holiday. The porters who loiter round the square with handcarts waiting for business became increasingly active.
Sunday was the last regular market before Eid and was the major sheep market for the region. We did not go to the beast market this year as we know it is frantic but went last year and I put some pictures on the Dar Barbara Facebook page. Town was heaving with sheep being transported by every means possible. The villagers from the Atlas come in to sell sheep and then spend the proceeds on the other essentials for the festival.
Town itself was very very busy. Sheep being moved by every means possible, lorry, pickup truck,"Camel" motorbike pickup, donkey cart, hand cart, scooter, cycle basket, wrapped round shoulders, led on string. The secret is to tie all four feet together. Once this is acheived the sheep lies supine and seemingly content and silent; but acheiving that may involve some protest or attempt to break for freedom.
Firelighters and barbcues appeared on stalls. Bakers have pyramids of more exotic sweetmeat than usual. The thing is to take a box and fill it with some from each pile like a Woolie's pick and mix.
Yesterday the Berber souk was inpenetrable. Villagers had stayed in town and were buying sweetmeats, salt and other supplies like there was no tomorrow. Loads of informal stalls had set up sellingclothes and shoes and plasticised tablecloths and wall posters from the religous to romantic scenery to Barcalona and Christiano Rinaldo posters. Meanwhile the tourist stalls, tailors and carpenters were deserted.
Today was much calmer the artisans, carpenters, ironwrights, butchers and electric scooter stores are all closed. The villagers have returned to their villages. There are groups of happy young men in the streets, coffee shops and orange sellers. These seem to be a mixture of returnees and said artisans. In Britain before Xmas they would be in the pub. This is a much more decorous passagio but seems to serve the same purpose of getting them out of the house while the women get on with the preparations. Everywhere was closing up at lunch time. Pickups have been driving round delivering sheep to the door and the smell of smoke suggests that people are setting up their barbecues with a dry run.
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| Yes that is a goat in the basket. It seems quite happy and its main concern was to get is head round to eat the herbage. This made the bike wobble so there were alarmed bleats until the owner steadied the bike where upon the goat calmed and silenced. |
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