Eid al-Adha: Photo Shoot

As the story goes, Allah asked Abraham to sacrifice his first-born son, Ishmael. Abraham’s willing submission prompted Allah to intervene, and He provided a sheep for the offering instead. To mark this occasion, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha, a holiday that falls roughly two months after Ramadan. Every family slaughters a sheep, and the meat is eaten over the next several days. One of the most important religious holidays, Eid al-Adha is a huge event in Morocco. Families gather for the slaughter, work together to prepare the meat, and pass the time eating kabobs.

Needless to say, Eid is not vegetarian-friendly. Any other time of year, it’s easy to live in Morocco as a vegetarian. My host family has been very accommodating of my dietary choice, usually accepting this eccentricity. But during Eid, they again encouraged me to take my first taste—they wanted to include me this important cultural experience. While I still refrained from eating any meat—my host family kindly made me eggs and salad—I did watch the whole bloody affair from start to finish. In fact, I watched two rams meet their fate. I was curious. And I’m proud to say I survived the day. There are some rather grisly photos below, but they capture the holiday.