Tobaski or Eid-al-Adha is a Muslim holiday commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son, Ismail, in the name of Allah. Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a ram for sacrifice instead. Tobaski coincides with the end of the annual Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam. Eid-al-Adha or Tobaski is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year. The other being Eid-al-Fitr or Koriteh at the end of the Ramadan fast.

Also known as Feast of Sacrifice, it is a time when families ritually slaughter a ram or other animal. The meat is divided into three parts: one third is given to the poor and needy; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the remaining third is retained by the family. The concept of sharing is the essence of the feast, and Tobaski  is essentially a nationwide barbecue.

Preparing for the Tobaski feast had the whole country occupied for days in advance. The market was full of pop-up vendors selling special treats and small gifts. There were rams everywhere and people were transporting them on donkey carts, on top of gellys, and in the trucks of cars. Huge piles of firewood and large bags of charcoal were available for purchase.

It was distressing for me to realize how many trees needed to be cut for this holiday celebration. It was just another example of how cultural practices make it difficult to make progress on what I consider a major problem – desertification. I can’t help but wonder if my PC project of having the agriculture students plant trees will have any long term benefits.

The animals to be sacrificed for the Tobaski feast were taken by the men to the Mosque at dawn for prayers. Later in the morning men, women, and children gathered outside the Mosque under a huge baobab tree. Everyone was dressed in their beautiful new clothes, sitting on rows and rows of prayer mats. The rainbow of colorful dress, with the women and children sitting separately from the men is a beautiful sight. Boys in rags and elders in their finery solicited money for the needy. It was a beautiful service and the weather was perfect with a cooling breeze.

The rams were well cared for prior to having the throats cut over a hole dug in the ground to catch the blood. My compound has three families, so there were three rams to be slaughtered. The many hands made skinning and butchering of the rams very efficient and soon chunks of meat were on the barbeque and in the cooking pots.

A steady stream of visitors came to our compound throughout the day. It is a very social holiday and important to connect with family and friends sharing the bounty. A relaxing fun day was had by all, the boys playing marbles, the girls jumping rope, and a serious Ludo competition – the Gambian equivalent of our Parcheesi.

I am grateful for how my family includes me in these special days. I even made myself a dress and headwrap for the occasion, since the last time I went to a service I had to borrow clothes from my host mom. Although, I forgot about the necessity of wearing a veil to cover my head for the service, so I will purchase one for next time.

Eid Mubarak to my wonderful Gambian family and friends.