For many Moroccan vegetarians and vegans, the slaughtering of animals and the week-long meat-centric festivities that follow Eid al-Adha are far from typical. For them, meat, the main dish during this period, holds no appeal.
They view the week after Eid as a time of excessive red meat consumption, with more than 5 million animals slaughtered in Morocco. This intense meat consumption is seen as disturbing by those who pursue a different diet.
Although many vegetarians told Hespress Ar that they understand the ethical, religious, and social significance of celebrating this established tradition, they cannot deny that the atmosphere, with the sight of blood and the sound of sheep bleating before being slaughtered and skinned, evokes a repulsive feeling.
This feeling is not meant as disrespect for the beliefs of others but rather reflects a struggle to coexist alongside them. For this reason, vegetarians often travel during the holiday until all rituals are over.
“The atmosphere of the holiday is challenging for any vegetarian who avoids all meals where meat is a main component, as is customary during Eid,” said Mohamed Bouhqaoui, co-founder of the National Association of Moroccan Vegetarians, in a statement to Hespress Ar.
He added that “Moroccan vegetarians often choose to spend the morning of Eid outside, participating in traditional Eid rituals while integrating vegetarian elements, such as vegetable skewers.”
Bouhqaoui explained that “the morning of Eid is extremely difficult for most vegans; the number of animals slaughtered on that morning is no less shocking than on any other day of the year, as Moroccans are a meat-consuming society, despite the adverse health effects.”
For this reason, he continued, “veganism used to be strange in Morocco, but vegans have worked hard to inform people about it, and now they see it as a way to save animals.”
On her part, Fatima Zahra Erraittib, a Moroccan vegan, said that people used to think that veganism was just a form of spoiled behavior, especially during Eid, when everyone eats meat.
Erraittib said she “did not start as a vegan, but then realized she did not like eating meat. So she became a vegan because she believes in protecting the planet and all animals on it.”
In a statement to Hespress Ar, Erraittib expressed sympathy for animals sacrificed as delicious meals during the holiday and advocated for their rights in human existence.
Without criticizing the established tradition, which has a “high spiritual significance for Moroccan Muslims,” she noted that “our concept of Eid needs reconsideration.”
The same speaker emphasized that “vegetarianism offers a solution, but it remains a choice that requires more promotion and awareness.”
Hespress English
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