An introduction to Tabaski

This Friday is Tabaski. It's all anyone is talking about.

My cab driver: Do you have a ram yet? How much did it cost?
My Senegalese colleagues: Where are you spending Tabaski?
Famille Fall: Do you have an outfit for Tabaski yet?
The boutique owner at the corner: You're invited to my house for Tabaski.

It's a HUGE holiday here. It's kind of like Christmas in the States - even if you're not a practicing Catholic (or Muslim in this case), you're more than aware of it and you're heartily welcomed to join in the festivities.

A little bit about the nature of the holiday:
The following is primarily thanks to Wikipedia, because although I know about Tabaski, I'd hate to get it wrong. And we all know that Wikipedia is always right.

For must of the greater Islamic world, Tabaski is known as Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, or Greater Eid. In Senegal, the Islamic holidays each have a Wolof name.

It marks Ibrahim's (or Abraham's) complete obedience to God with his willingness to sacrifice his son. God, recognizing Ibrahim's devotion, intervened so that Ibrahim sacrificed a sheep instead. As such, each head of family must sacrifice a sheep in honor of Ibrahim's sacrifice.

It comes right after the Hajj, approximately 70 days after the end of Ramadan. This time of year is quite packed full of celebrations or religious holidays. Ramandan concludes with Korite (more commonly known as Eid ul-Fitr), about two months later is Tabaski, and then about a month later is Tamkharit (Islamic New Year) and then the Mouride pilgrimage to Touba in Senegal (called the Magal) is another 6 or so weeks later. Uffda!



I'm going to Sokone for the holiday as it's an excellent time to see the Famille Mane, my host family from my time in Senegal with MSID, and to enjoy some delicious food. However, it also means that I'm going to be stuck in traffic for most of Sunday evening trying to get back to Dakar with the rest of Senegal. Unfortunately, Senegal also has traffic around the holidays - just not Christmas or Thanksgiving.


I promise, this year, no graphic posts like last time!
(Click here if you want to hear about my first Tabaski in 2009. I warn you though there's some blood...)

But I do promise pictures of my beautiful Senegalese outfit and other people's equally as fabulous outfits!