GEF's Outlook: Sheep Everywhere in Dakar: C'est la Tabaski!

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November 06, 2011

Sheep Everywhere in Dakar: C'est la Tabaski!

The sheep are everywhere. Tethered near homes or in a flock at sheep markets that have sprouted here and there -even on sidewalks. They are everywhere. That's the picture of Dakar in the days leading to the Tabaski - the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice - known in North Africa as the 'Aïd El Kebir'.

Here in Senegal, as is the case in most predominantly Muslim West African countries, it is the biggest and most popular religious feast.

"Have you bought your ram?" a former colleague asked when we met on Friday.

"You need to get a healthy ram; they are cheap around your neighbourhood at FCFA 50,000," a cab driver advised as I headed home that evening.

"But since you look like be a big man (rich man) you can even buy a ram for FCFA 300,000 or more," he teased.

Although, in my home country Cameroon, celebrations are taking place this Sunday, here in Senegal 'D-Day' is Monday 7 November.

People who have not yet bought their sheep (ram) are frantically negotiating to purchase one this Sunday. Here are some pictures from the sheep market near where I stay. The first picture (below) shows shepherds looking after their flock.

Below: A family and shepherds haggle over the price of a ram at an impromptu sheep market near a flyover (overpass) in Dakar on 6 November 2011.

Below: A young man walks past sheep on sale at a market in Dakar's Ouest Foire neighbourhood.

Below: Some of the rams in this picture taken on 2 November have already been sold. They will be slaughtered on Monday in remembrance of Ibrahim's dedication to Allah - to the point of being ready to sacrifice his son Ishmael.