While we were in training village, the Muslim celebration of Tobaski happened, I think it was around December 9. Tobaski celebrates when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael, and Abraham showed great faith and agreed. God rewarded Abraham’s faith by replacing Ishmael with a ram for sacrifice. To celebrate this miracle, every family slaughters a ram(or a goat if they can’t afford it).
On the first day of Tobaski, my family did indeed slaughter a sheep. I missed the slaughter itself because I was in the kitchen house watching my host moms cook. I did see it a few minutes after death though, after they had the carcass all opened up. I wasn’t nearly as repulsed as I would have thought. We had a big big lunch, then spent the afternoon just hanging out and relaxing. The women sat around doing each other’s hair. In the late afternoon/early evening, everyone got all dressed up in their best clothes. I had no idea that people had clothes this nice!! Everyone’s cloth was very brightly colored, either printed or tie-dyed, and had been waxed and then beaten with a stick so that it shines and is stiff. Often the cloth has also been embroidered. The women’s outfits are a long, slim, wrap skirt, with a matching top and head wrap. The men’s outfit is a baggy shirt made of the colorful fabric with baggy pants underneath. The children wear clothes that are perfect miniatures of what the adults are wearing. Women also go all out with high heels, make-up, etc. Then, all the women and children go place to place asking for “salibo” which are small gifts--money, candy, etc. it’s a lot like trick or treating.
The second and third day of Tobaski was a lot like the first day, minus the sheep killing. Still with the lots of food, and getting dressed up. It amazes me that everyone wears a different set of fabulous clothes each evening. Where do they come from? I was most certainly underdressed.
For special prayer days like Tobaski, everyone’s extended family comes to the village from the urban areas. This was overwhelming because I had just gotten used to all the faces and personalities of those who are always in my village. All the extended family was a little much.

Overall, a good experience though. Tobaski gets a thumbs up.