Valentine's Day - Fresh Meat - This and That

Təzə Əti – Qoyun Məl, The sign reads fresh meat – Lamb and beef. On the way home from work you see the fresh meat tied and awaiting his fate. On the way to work the next morning is təzə əti. The shop is about fifty yards from our front gate.
One Saturday Linda and I ventured out on a couple of the buses just to see where they went. Bus number 3 took us to the edge of Shirvan. Linda and I walked about .25 of a mile and took pictures. The man with Linda lived there. I introduced ourselves and we talked about the wetlands and birds, in Azerbaijani! He is obviously very poor, but very kind. His 2 children were playing nearby.
The street picture is just up the road from where we photographed the man. Double click and see the man coming up the road. Linda feels it is a very good picture to illustrate that not all of Shirvan is clean and parks.
For Valentine’s Day Linda and I made each other cards, then for lunch went to a Turkish family café. A family café allows women on one side of the café. Linda had a donər which is mutton on a wonderful bread with mayonaise, cucumber, tomatoes, and a secret ingredient which Linda says is terrific. It is the closest thing to a hamburger we have. I had the spaghetti with ketchup or mayonaise whichever I choose. We divided a cola, and the bill was $6.00.
The woman at the table has known other volunteers and has attending a women’s business conference that was supported by PC staff. For a woman in Azerbaijan she is a liberated business woman. If her English was better or our Azerbaijani better, we would be good friends.
There is a young man named Abraham, but goes by the shorter name of Ibo who is one of two young men that have adopted me as their project of protection. They walk me around the city, introduce me to people, and translate in my conversation clubs when needed. I have asked many questions about Islam, and Ibo is quick to answer if he knows.
On a Saturday, I had "free time" so Ibo escorts me to his mosque for Namas which is the prayer time. I was given a small pillow upon which to sit on the floor. Sixteen men eventually made their way to the 1:00 p.m. prayer time. The men are led in prayer and they repeat the same prayer to themselves 5 times. They begin by standing, then by bending at the waist, then kneeling and bowing. The entire process of waiting to begin, then the Namas lasted about an hour. It was like a gathering for a Wednesday evening prayer service.
I felt very uncomfortable at first because they all know I am a Christian. I am honest and forthright with my faith. Everyone there was very cordial to me, and invited me back. I think they hope that I will be converted.
The inside of the mosque was very plain. There was a carpet and it was well lit, and no chairs or benches. Ibo said that people pay for the heaters, electric, lights, and so forth, but no one knows who it is. The giver never reveals what he has given.
There was literature at both ends of the mosque and at one end there was a curtain which can be drawn. During Ramadan women are allowed on one side of the curtain. There was a pulpit like area, but while I was there no homily or instruction was given, only the reciting of prayers.
The men were dressed in their street clothes and only one man covered his head. The ages were primarily from 30 to 50 with two men who could have been 60. Ibo is 23 and was the youngest man there. No shoes are worn inside the mosque.
The following is one of Linda’s recent experiences.
The mother of one of the English teachers at school died last week. We have been to this teacher’s home for dinner. Another English teacher invited me to go with her to the mother’s home for the mourning. We were welcomed and took off our shoes at the door. We then went into a large living room filled with women. We knelt down and kissed the mourning teacher. She had on black clothes, her hair was pulled back and covered with a headscarf and she wore no makeup.
All the furniture was gone and the women sat on pillows on the floor and covered their feet and legs with sheets. We then found a place to sit. One lady was speaking in Azeri and I could not understand all she said. She was talking about the dead woman. There was no body or pictures of the dead mother.
After the woman stopped speaking the mourning teacher started a chant-like recitation. The mourning teacher had a tray sitting in front of her. It had a glass of water, a dish of candy and some manats (dollars) lying on the tray. I did not see people put money on the tray for her but this is what is done.
We sat with our hands open and palms up (prayer position). Several times during the chanted prayer we moved our hands over our faces from forehead down to chin. My teacher friend had told me how we would sit, hold our hands and move our hands down our face. She had previously explained that a woman would be in charge of the mourning. All the women but two young girls had their heads covered.
After the prayers were finished, we arose, again kissed the mourning teacher and left the room. The family showed us down to another room where pillows were arranged down two opposite walls. In the center of the room on tablecloths on the floor was much food – sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, candy, hava (sugar, grounded nuts, spices, butter) fruit, rice, bread and jams. We were served tea and I ate some finger foods. We then arose, thanked the family, put on our shoes and left.
There were men standing outside in the courtyard talking quietly but none of them had come inside. This receiving of mourning guests goes on for 7 days. So, a death in the family takes effort (to feed people) and is labor intensive (to receive guests, prepare food, serve, clean). Relatives come in to help.
The body is buried the day after death. It is wrapped in cloth and buried (no caskets, vaults or embalming). A grave is marked by a headstone (some of these are very expensive). Families usually are buried together in family plots – sometimes enclosed by a fence.
Denney had a woman at his work whose nephew died. She missed a week of work just as this teacher did. But that is what is done in Azerbaijan, and employers and friends know this is the custom.