Tobasky Celebrations

We were up early and dressed and waiting for the call from Adam to meet up with him for the Tobasky Celebrations at his home in Serrekunda. When he called we quickly jumped in the car and picked him up at the Africel junction. He then directed us to his home in the heart of the market area which we were very surprised at. His home was behind a tailors shop in a large compound area littered with rubbish which seems the norm here. After been shown into the house we were introduced to Adam’s mother, younger sister, daughter and niece all of which were very slim and pretty. Then his brothers and sister in laws came to say hello they all live within the compound. We sat down and were offered bananas to eat Adam then asked us if we wanted to see the Ram being cut up as it had already been killed. Leaving Abigail and Bradley in the lounge we headed through the house into a very narrow yard area, within the yard was a shower, toilet and kitchen area. The ram was on a tin sheet and in the process of getting skinned by two guy’s from the tailors shop who had come to help. Adam’s nephew’s aged seven and ten were happy to watch and hold a leg whilst the other was busy playing with the rams testicles. With the skin removed they then set about cutting off the legs before opening it up and removing the liver, kidney, and heart, these were passed to the two sister in laws who started chopping them into small pieces. The whole process must of took about an hour, I was surprised at how little blood there was although its throat had been cut elsewhere so the blood was probably drained off then. However there was still some pooh carlings up its bum and undigested food in its intestines which did spill out otherwise not gruesome at all. Adam explained that the skin of the ram will be taken to the mosque and also half of the ram will be given away to the poor.

Shortly after we were served a lunch of onions fried with rams liver and heart with bread it was absolutely gorgeous even the kids enjoyed it followed by grilled ram with onions which was a bit tough. Abigail was pleased to be given watermelon for dessert which she seems to have acquired a taste for since being out here. We ate from a communal bowl with Adams younger sister luckily we were given forks so we didn’t have to eat with our hands. We then sat in the compound and drank some ataya tea with Adam and a couple of his friends whilst Abigail and Bradley played with Adam's daughter, niece and nephews. After a lot of sitting around we were just going to leave at around 4.00pm only to be told that dinner would be ready soon. So waiting a bit longer we ate ram in a sauce with vegetables and rice, a bit too spicy for the kids but Paul and I enjoyed it.

Adam's Daughter Fatima

Adama's Niece & Daughter

Whilst there Abigail did manage to christen the outside toilet with a number 2 which to her horror was a pit latrine which she had to squat over however she did manage to hit the hole. The bad news was I had forgotten to bring any toilet paper so I had to use water and my hand to clean her bum like the Muslims do “ugh”. Overall the day was spent with a lot of sitting around for us and the men whilst the two step sisters busied themselves preparing the food. We did have an insight into how others live and although Adam is not poor its a million miles from how comfortable we are living in Fajara. On the evening as we were putting Abigail and Bradley to bed we had a nice surprise when Lucy arrived at our door to give us a whole ram’s leg as her brothers had given her too much. We cut it in to two freezing half to eat at a later date the thigh we plan to have as a Sunday roast.