The day when sacrifices are made

It's a little difficult to describe Idul Adha because I don't celebrate this Muslim holiday. I guess the background would be the story of Abraham and how he was told by God to sacrifice his first-born. In the Islamic version, the first-born is Ishmael. Well, Abraham was about to do it until a divine voice intervened, told him to stop, and sacrifice a goat in his first-born's place. The point is he was about to make the ultimate sacrifice for God.

Well, Idul Adha is a celebration of this story, but instead of first-borns, the Muslim population sacrifice cows and goats instead.

Indonesia being mostly made-up of Muslims, also follows the tradition of sacrificing and giving the meat to the poor. On idul adha, loud shrieking horror noises of terrified goats and cows can be heard throughout the entire neighborhood, but it's all for a good cause.

I've never actually seen the rituals, because I probably would faint, but my brother has when he was still in elementary school. He said it made him nauseated and he wouldn't want to witness such a thing ever again.

Funny enough, tomorrow is the 15th of October, which is both my birthday and this year's Idul Adha. I was born in the year of the goat, according to the Chinese zodiac..... I can't help but feel a little freaked out at the symbolism and coincidence of it all. Hope my neck won't get a chill tomorrow.