Last weekend in between having our home study interviews, we were busy visiting our friends as they celebrated one of the biggest holidays in the Muslim world, Eid al Adha. In India it is called Buckra Eid.(Buckra means Goat).
During Buckra Eid, animals are sacrificed in rememberance of God providing a sacrifice for Abraham(Ibrahim)'s son.
During the days leading up to Buckra Eid, the streets of our city where filled with goats and buffalo. In India(or at least in our state) it is illegal to kill cows so no cows are sacrificed here. We also heard about camels being sacrificed, but we didn't see any in our area.
While Rhett was visiting in August we met a family that lives across the street from us, and have begun to spend time with them. They are so kind and generous and invited us to come over when they sacrificed their buffalo.
They told us they were going to sacrifice around 9am and so we set our alarms and planned to shower and get ready to be there by 9. Well, around 7:30am the daughter called and excitedly told us to come at 8am. We scrambled to get ready as she called every 10 minutes or so telling us to hurry up! We walked into their courtyard around 9 just seconds after the sacrifice. R was pretty bummed. I was a little relieved that I had missed seeing this huge animal sacrificed as the blood ran around my feet. (Have I mentioned my Mom is here??) Yeah, I think she was a little relieved as well. Mom and I went upstairs to watch as the butchers cut up the buffalo, while R stayed downstairs with the men. The animal is divided into 3 parts: one for the family, one for friends or relatives, and one for the poor. By around 10:30am we were eating some of the buffalo.
I am an East Texas girl and have many close friends who are hunters, however, my Dad was not a hunter and I wasn't really exposed that much to skinning and cleaning of animals. It was a little overwhelming for me. Everywhere we went for three days there were buffalo and goats on the sides of the streets being sacrificed and goat skins for sale.
We did have many good conversations with friends about the meaning of Buckra Eid and we long to understand even more what this sacrifice means for our friends and neighbors. Many of wondered if we would sacrifice a goat. We tried to explain that we don't do Qurbani (sacrifice) because Jesus was and is our ultimate sacrifice.
One thing I really love about the holidays around here is all the hugging. In this culture, hugging is not an everyday thing(which makes me pretty sad), but during both the Eid after Ramadan and Buckra Eid everyone greets each other with a hug and greeting. I love it!
There are so many more things to say about Buckra Eid and our friends and neighbors, but I will leave you with some pictures....
Oh, btw R did get to see a total sacrifice the next day. He even has video if you want to watch....it is extremely graphic. The head of the family makes the first cut while reciting a blessing, then the butchers finish everything.
WARNING: These are GRAPHIC!!
During Buckra Eid, animals are sacrificed in rememberance of God providing a sacrifice for Abraham(Ibrahim)'s son.
During the days leading up to Buckra Eid, the streets of our city where filled with goats and buffalo. In India(or at least in our state) it is illegal to kill cows so no cows are sacrificed here. We also heard about camels being sacrificed, but we didn't see any in our area.
While Rhett was visiting in August we met a family that lives across the street from us, and have begun to spend time with them. They are so kind and generous and invited us to come over when they sacrificed their buffalo.
They told us they were going to sacrifice around 9am and so we set our alarms and planned to shower and get ready to be there by 9. Well, around 7:30am the daughter called and excitedly told us to come at 8am. We scrambled to get ready as she called every 10 minutes or so telling us to hurry up! We walked into their courtyard around 9 just seconds after the sacrifice. R was pretty bummed. I was a little relieved that I had missed seeing this huge animal sacrificed as the blood ran around my feet. (Have I mentioned my Mom is here??) Yeah, I think she was a little relieved as well. Mom and I went upstairs to watch as the butchers cut up the buffalo, while R stayed downstairs with the men. The animal is divided into 3 parts: one for the family, one for friends or relatives, and one for the poor. By around 10:30am we were eating some of the buffalo.
I am an East Texas girl and have many close friends who are hunters, however, my Dad was not a hunter and I wasn't really exposed that much to skinning and cleaning of animals. It was a little overwhelming for me. Everywhere we went for three days there were buffalo and goats on the sides of the streets being sacrificed and goat skins for sale.
We did have many good conversations with friends about the meaning of Buckra Eid and we long to understand even more what this sacrifice means for our friends and neighbors. Many of wondered if we would sacrifice a goat. We tried to explain that we don't do Qurbani (sacrifice) because Jesus was and is our ultimate sacrifice.
One thing I really love about the holidays around here is all the hugging. In this culture, hugging is not an everyday thing(which makes me pretty sad), but during both the Eid after Ramadan and Buckra Eid everyone greets each other with a hug and greeting. I love it!
There are so many more things to say about Buckra Eid and our friends and neighbors, but I will leave you with some pictures....
Oh, btw R did get to see a total sacrifice the next day. He even has video if you want to watch....it is extremely graphic. The head of the family makes the first cut while reciting a blessing, then the butchers finish everything.
WARNING: These are GRAPHIC!!
Buffalo and goats for sale
Our neighbors courtyard after they had sacrificed the buffalo(see my Mom in the back ground?)
watching from upstairs
All the kids of the family(this house has 3 brothers and their families that all live together)
This is on the street in front of our language nurturers home
There is a tent set up where people can buy a buffalo and have it sacrificed there in the tent
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