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Eid al-Fitr Celebrations in New York: Mothers Uphold Traditions
As Eid al-Fitr approached, marking the culmination of Ramadan, Muslim families across New York City engaged in preparations for the joyous celebration. In Brooklyn, on a Saturday evening, Kenza Fourati and her two enthusiastic children gathered around a decorative Ramadan calendar, anticipating the end of the holy month.
Anticipation for Eid
“Yallah, let’s turn it around,” Ms. Fourati announced. Together, they flipped the calendar to reveal the words: “Eid Mubarak. The Mohyeldin Fourati family.” With the sunset and the sighting of the crescent moon, confirmation arrived: Eid al-Fitr, the holiday concluding the Muslim month of fasting, would commence on Sunday.
Establishing festive decorations for Ramadan and Eid is a relatively recent custom for Ms. Fourati, a model and co-founder of Osay. As her children mature, their inquiries about their faith have increased, prompting her to create engaging traditions.
Ms. Fourati, 39, reminisced about her childhood in Tunis, where vibrant Ramadan celebrations were ubiquitous. She recalled the excitement of Eid eve, running through the streets with friends as fireworks illuminated the night sky.
Passing Down Childhood Traditions
“This is how I grew up, and I want to share aspects of my upbringing with them,” Ms. Fourati explained, emphasizing her approach to introduce her children to their Muslim identity through enjoyable experiences.
She gently separated her playfully wrestling children and guided them upstairs to unveil their new outfits for the morning Eid prayer planned in Washington Square Park. For Idris, 6, she presented a white jebba, a conventional Tunisian robe, and a red chechia, a cylindrical hat. Dora, 8, had options: an ornate purple jebba with a gold belt or a black Palestinian thobe. Dora’s enthusiasm was evident as she jumped and exclaimed her preference for the purple dress: “It’s shiny, and it has more jewels.”
Eid Preparations: The Vital Role of Mothers
Following a month of spiritual reflection and fasting, Eid al-Fitr is a time of jubilation for Muslims. Celebrations include displaying new clothing, attending festivities, enjoying special meals and delicacies, and visiting loved ones. Central to these celebrations are the mothers, who orchestrate the preparations on the preceding day.
In New York, home to nearly 800,000 Muslims, many mothers blend newly established rituals with cherished customs from their own childhoods.
Mahima Begum’s Eid Feast: A Bengali Tradition in Brooklyn
Mahima Begum, recalling her 1980s childhood on Sandwip Island in Bangladesh, shared how she and her siblings would eagerly visit the local “mela,” or festival, on Eid morning, acquiring colorful bangles and Bengali sweets. Upon returning home, a grand feast awaited them, lovingly prepared throughout the night by their mother.
“We were completely relaxed,” Ms. Begum recalled. “My mother handled everything.”
Now, Ms. Begum has embraced this role. Annually, she organizes an impressive Eid spread for approximately 40 relatives at her Kensington, Brooklyn residence. The preparation is extensive.
“Firstly, I consider my children’s preferences,” Ms. Begum, 49, stated. “I prioritize making the dishes they enjoy.”
Ms. Begum commences cooking at 4 a.m. on the day before Eid, preparing dishes like beef biryani, goat khorma, and her signature chicken jhal fry, a masala fried chicken with a sweet and spicy sauce. This recipe originated when her daughter, Shompa Kabir, was two years old. She has prepared this dish every Eid since.
Ms. Kabir, 29, a food content creator, inspired by her mother’s culinary skills, assists in the preparations. In recent years, she contributes a dessert called rasmalai cake—a fusion creation: an almond-crusted sponge cake, similar to tres leches, with masala-infused milk and light whipped cream.
“I want her to feel appreciated,” Ms. Kabir said, speaking about her mother. “She has dedicated herself to this my entire life. I want her to recognize the significance and admirability of her efforts.”
Ramatoulaye Diallo: Senegalese Hospitality in the Bronx
In the High Bridge area of the Bronx, Ramatoulaye Diallo benefited from the help of her daughters and daughter-in-law in preparing their Eid feast. The centerpiece was thiebou yapp, a Senegalese one-pot rice and beef dish.
Just before 1 a.m., Ms. Diallo, 52, a nurse, placed marinated beef in a large pot spanning two stove burners. She then turned her attention to the yassa, a vermicelli dish with onion sauce, instructing one of her daughters in Fulani to fetch water for the pot.
“We cook intuitively, without strict measurements,” Ms. Diallo explained.
Her daughters then moved from the kitchen to arrange the dining table with a new tablecloth from Morocco. They also refreshed the bedding and curtains, a custom Ms. Diallo adopted from her mother in Thiès, Senegal.
Cleanliness and Cultural Preservation
“There’s a belief that Eid should find everything pristine,” explained Ms. Diallo, who relocated to New York in 2006. “No laundry, everything immaculate. The day’s significance and holiness demand cleanliness for the celebration.”
“I strive to ensure my daughters value the holiday,” Ms. Diallo added. “Living here presents challenges. Many become westernized and lose touch with their culture.”
Her efforts have been successful. Safiatou Diallo, 28, her eldest daughter, mentioned that her favorite Eid tradition is selecting fabric and design for her Fulani outfit and having it custom-made by a tailor. “I even dream of returning to Africa and wearing African attire daily,” she shared.
Yelda Ali: Recreating Afghan Eid Traditions
Yelda Ali is thoughtfully considering methods to immerse her 15-month-old daughter, Iman, in her Afghan culture. Ms. Ali, 39, daughter of Afghan refugees, grew up celebrating Eid with extensive house visits in Edmonton, Alberta. However, for most of her 16 years in New York, she lacked nearby family for these traditions. Now a mother, she and her husband, Anthony Mejia, are creating their own traditions.
“Traditions provide us with a sense of belonging,” said Ms. Ali, a D.J. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. “We are fortunate to still have our language, recipes, songs, and music. Cultural preservation is crucial. It defines our existence, and neglecting to maintain these elements within our community and intentionally pass them down risks their extinction. Diaspora can lead to the loss of many traditions—we have witnessed it.”
However, diaspora also fosters new beginnings and cultural revival.
A Culinary Bridge: Afghan and Dominican Cultures
Each Eid, Ms. Ali plans to learn a new, unwritten family recipe from her maternal side to preserve it. This year’s recipe was Afghan pasta with ground beef, yogurt, and dried mint.
Mr. Mejia, who is Dominican, has developed a passion for Afghan cooking. He was in the kitchen sautéing onions for the dish, while Ms. Ali steamed Iman’s floral Eid dress nearby. Ms. Ali played Afghan folk music, joyfully engaging Iman in Farsi.
Their Eid plan included a mini-mela, or picnic, at Herbert Von King Park, featuring the Afghan pasta and traditional sweets. While melas are typically large in Afghan communities, Ms. Ali opted for a smaller, more intimate celebration with her immediate family in New York.
“It’s about quality”, Ms. Ali concluded, “not quantity, right?”