Tabaski

Tabaski is most important holiday in the Muslim community. The reason for celebrating Tabaski comes from the Koran when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith. Abraham took Ishmael to the top of Mount Kaba and was blindfolded. Before he could sacrifice his son, the angel Gabriel snatched Ishmel from Abraham and placed a sheep in his place. So now as part of the holiday every family kills a sheep.

This year I helped killed the sheep with my family. The sheep was delicious but while I was eating it I kept thinking about the abracadabra mentality that we have in the states towards food in the states. For example most meat eaters in the US have never killed an animal in their lives but we probably consume the most meat in the world! A lot of people have no idea where their food comes from. My friend Abdoulaye has a message for America about the importance of Tabaski and eating eat.

Mathew Davis

About Mathew Davis

Mathew is a born educator, an exceptional communicator and a tireless activist. Growing up in the impoverished inner city, Mathew developed early an awareness of injustice and oppression. He turned his sights on working with neighborhood organizations to build a sense of community pride and educate others about leadership and change. He has supported and led efforts around urban gardening, crime and blight, and public school conditions. An artist and a writer, in high school Mathew discovered the power of spoken word and began organizing his peers through poetry slams. Mathew has won awards for his poetry and has established himself as a youth leader in the movement for democratic education.