Moroccans are keen to celebrate Eid Al-Adha, whatever the circumstances and crises. They are willing to pay a lot to have a sheep on this occasion. Even the poorest among them are ready to do the impossible to get one, even going as far as getting into debt or selling off an object or piece of furniture to be able to afford a “Serdi”, the sheep of choice.
Moroccans have an extraordinary relationship with Eid Al-Adha (the big holiday) which is sacred to them. For them, it is unthinkable to be unable to celebrate this feast. It is a kind of unimaginable catastrophe, despite the fact that they eat meat all year round and, in addition, lamb causes many illnesses that affect their health.
The successive governments in Morocco are well aware of the importance which Moroccans place on this holiday, which is why the cancellation of this religious holiday has rarely been called for, even in the context of a major crisis such as the current one caused by the coronavirus, a pandemic which has damaged powerful economies. Moreover, some political parties suggested that Eid should be cancelled this year, but this proposal was not accepted.
Even if we were not able to defeat Covid-19, the government would have allowed the celebration of this holiday, provided that the health emergency measures were respected, even though specialists warned against Coronavirus outbreaks that can be caused by family gatherings.
Moreover, even if the benefits of this holiday concern the large farmers to the detriment of the small ones, and some Muslim Ulemas have stressed that sacrificing a sheep is not compulsory for everyone, the great majority want to do it despite all their financial difficulties and the many burdens that await them.
We wish everyone a happy holiday.
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