Meat comes from a cow! (Or a sheep)

With the Islamic feast of Eid al Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice) upon us, there has been a lot of talk in the media and comments about the practice of slaughtering animals, with some people erroneously calling it “barbaric”, “inhumane” and “cruel”. The animals are slaughtered to celebrate God's substitution of a ram for Ibrahim’s (Abraham's) son, and the meat distributed between family, friends and the poor. Despite common misconceptions by many people, the animals are not just killed for the sake of it and then left to rot. In fact it is haram (forbidden) in Islam to wantonly waste food.

We, like many people in Cairo, had animals on the ground floor of our apartment block for several days leading up to the first day of Eid, when they are traditionally slaughtered. Just a few sheep and a couple of cows. My two boys, aged four and seven, spent a couple of days patting them, feeding them, even giving one or two of them names. So as the time when they would be killed grew ever nearer, I wondered how the scene would unfold. Of course the boys were a little sad and tried to convince the neighbors who had bought the animals not to kill them. Then, on the morning of the first day of the Eid, when the gazzar (butcher) came to do his task, a long discussion unfolded because he considered one of the lambs too young for slaughtering. The boys were thrilled with this unexpected development, especially as the lamb in question had been named ‘Blackie’ and had somehow maneuvered a special place into their hearts. ‘Blackie’ was finally taken away and replaced with a larger lamb.

When the time came for the animals to be killed, I took the boys inside our flat, very reluctantly on their part. Despite these lambs and cows being their “pets”, they still wanted to watch the ritual killing, the youngest one saying, “I want to watch them go up to God.” But no, I didn’t think it was something they should see at such a young age. However…

…after all the animals had been killed (a mistaken assumption on my part) and the boys were again playing outside, apparently another cow was produced. I don’t know if I overlooked it or if it was a late addition, but either way, the boys witnessed the slitting of its throat, and whatever followed, at the back of our building. My oldest was a little sad and cried for a few minutes because he had considered it his ‘pet’, while my youngest was not perturbed at all, merely fascinated by the whole procedure, which he related it to me in all its gory detail after it was over. Now, the next day, they are completely unruffled by the experience and talk about it quite matter-of-factly.

The people who speak with abhorrence about the practice of slaughtering animals for Eid al Adha need to remember that they are killed to be eaten, just as animals in other countries are killed in abattoirs, and just as thousands of turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations – the only difference is that here, it is done out in the open and not behind closed doors. And the children know where their meat comes from - and it’s not a Styrofoam tray in the supermarket.

Questions about Egypt: part 2

(10) How do Egyptian kids spend their free time?

Kids here have a LOT of homework, as I am discovering on a personal level. A lot of homework, a lot of books, a lot of notebooks, a lot of tests. And very heavy school bags. So they spend a lot of time studying and revising for tests! The national education system here in Egypt is not geared towards instilling children with a love of learning, but more towards learning by rote and passing exams. Not my cup of tea, but my kids are in school here primarily to solidify their Arabic, so fortunately it’s not something I need to take into account in the long term.

But I digress… kids and free time. From my own observations they play football (as in soccer, not rugby) in the local gardens, visit family, go to their sports club if they belong to one (very expensive to join so only the middle classes and up can afford them). Older kids will go to the malls and hang out with their friends. My kids like to ride their scooters, play football with the local kids and watch Tom and Jerry on TV (very exciting as we don’t have it in Australia, at least not that I’ve seen).

(11) Do Egyptians play sport and if so what?
They do, but not with the reckless abandon with which we throw ourselves into it in Australia. Although sport does seem to be increasing somewhat in popularity, it is difficult here because the culture is not geared towards exercise at all so you really have to make an effort.

There are a couple of cycling clubs and a running club that I know of here in Cairo that I had good intentions of participating in… but now realize that I was being foolishly over-ambitious.
As I mentioned, the middle-and-higher classes will often belong to a 'club' where they can play sports like tennis, squash, swimming, football and martial arts. But they are pretty exclusive and the average Egyptian would not be able to afford to join. There are also some youth clubs called markez shabab that are more affordable, maybe around 50 Egyptian pounds a year (about AU$10) but I don't know anything about the quality of them.

Walking is—while I would hesitate to use the word ‘popular’—certainly something that I have seen people, including many women, do.

Whether they play or not, most Egyptians are mad for football (soccer). And I mean MAD. It was actually suggested to me that I not have my son’s birthday party as planned, because there will be a big football match on that day and nobody will want to come to the party (but I am forging on with it regardless).

(12) Are there sports grounds for the boys to play on?

Not really, no. There are often gardens (or small parks) in the centre of the streets in residential areas where they can kick a ball around or climb a tree. But in terms of actual playing fields, you would have to go to a sports club. Egypt has not yet caught on to the concept of providing free community sports grounds.

(13) Do you play backgammon? Is that one of the common sights in Cairo? (I have this vision of little old men sitting outside their shops/houses playing.)
Backgammon here is called tawla and yes, I do play. Or, more correctly, I used to play. And very well, I might add. My very first visit to Cairo I learnt to play tawla really well. But playing with Egyptians can be a little annoying because if you don’t move your pieces fast enough, they will move them for you!

And you are right, it is a common sight to see men sitting in local coffee shops smoking shisha, drinking ahwa (strong Turkish-style coffee) and playing tawla. It’s one of the quintessential sights and smells of Egypt.

(14) What's the best time of day for you? And why?
It depends on the day. I like the evenings when I am at home with the door closed to the world. Which I know sounds a little contradictory, given that I have just said that I love Cairo… but anyone who has been here will understand what I mean. Cairo is amazing, and yet also requires (at least for a foreigner) 100% engagement just to get through the day, in terms of dealing with everything in another language, negotiating every little thing, battling the 'system' (and I use this term very loosely); even crossing the street. So, while maneuvering through the joys of Cairo, I also encounter many frustrations along the way — frustrations on which it is a relief to close my door at the end of the day.

(15) How much coffee are you drinking?
About the same as I would drink in Australia; just in the morning to rev up my engine. I don’t generally drink ahwa unless I am out in a coffee shop.

(16) Will you travel outside Egypt for holidays seeing as you're so close to so many other places?
There are so many places I want to visit that are so close to Egypt… and yet so far. Morocco is probably at the top of my list, along with Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon… I could go on, but am just frustrating myself. Unfortunately I may not be able to travel much as I have the boys in school here. But you never know, with swine flu mania at a peak, there is talk of the schools closing for December and January.

(17) What is something you will HAVE to bring home with you (apart from the boys of course!)
Alas, the things I want to bring back with me are the things I can’t bring back, and the things that keep my heart in Egypt. It’s the intangible things, like the sound of the call to prayer five times a day; practicing my Arabic with taxi drivers; watching my kids play and speak street Arabic with the local kids; the energy and atmosphere of Cairo; the incessant beeping of car horns (well, maybe not); the feeling of being completely alive.