It was December 23rd, and we found ourselves laying as still as possible all day long in great hopes that we would soon be feeling better for the Christmas Eve gathering the next night. The family from all around was going to congregate at Chuys house for the Christmas Eve Dinner and get together.
Chuy had new little nieces and nephews to meet, relatives from as far away as Tlapa de Comonfort (About 8 hours south of Chilpincingo).... 10 or so from Acapulco. We knew that many of them had travelled long distances to see us, and be a part of the Christmas gathering this year.
We felt very bad, but we just could not manage to get far from the bed, and certainly NOT far from the banos..(bathroom). So, as we lay there, trying not to move too much...... the front door suddenly opened, and in thru the house ran a huge black goat, with about 10 people behind him, everyone shouting and running and trying to catch this runaway goat.
Now that got my attention! I jumped up to see what in the world was going on?
And this is when I had to just shut my mouth, and realize that I was now IN ROME..and MUST DO AS THE ROMANS DO! (One of my favorite bits of advice from my dad).
Apparently it is a really REALLY big deal to eat FRESH BIRRIA at Christmas.
I like birria, but, I had never had it this fresh before........
The story goes like this... Apparently Chuys niece knew a farmer that sold her a Goat for Christmas Dinner. He loaded it up in the trunk of his car, and drove it to Chuys house.......
Then, as they untied it, and it was madder than a hornet by this time, they just kinda herded it towards the house, to take it around back......... well, it decided to run straight thru the house, and find its way out back all by itself........ if that isn't bad enough, we could smell it all the way to the bedrooms. And that wasn't especially pleasant considering that we already were fighting a few bad smells of our own thanks to Montezuma!
I barely had the energy to stand there, let alone partake of the 'running of the Christmas Goat' so, I just went back to bed. Julie and I exchanged glances, and I haven't the foggiest idea of what was going thru Chuys head as he just tryed to ignore it all.
So, here we were..... commotion and excitement everywhere. People trying to grab the Goat, the Goat Blattttttting to beat the band, and I am thinking "Val, go with the flow. Don't offend the natives. When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I had to remind myself, that I was in South Mexico, staying with a bunch of Aztecan Indians that are used to this sort of thing, and I was in their element, not the other way around!!!
Ok, I had myself under control. This was just a culture clash...I can live with that!
NO big deal........... its just a GOAT~!
Eventually, the excitement died down as the goat was finally caught, tied up, and hobbled.
Then...the pitiful bleating started. And it lasted all night...........
That finally got to my heartstrings. I had to creep up, and look out the window, and then I saw a most pitiful sight. The back legs were hobbled together so tight that the poor Goat could hardly stand up! It had its head down, its two front feet spread wide apart to support itself, and it balanced on its two back legs that were tied or hobbled together to make one leg. The poor goat was swaying around, out of balance, and bleeting.
That's when I just had to come out of my cultural resolve, and beg Chuy to DO SOMETHING!
And, that's when I had a great awakening that my husband wasn't going to do ANYTHING!
He opted to educate me on the cultural differences of Indians and Americans. HMMMP!
Chuy explained that it was a very nice thing for that Goat to have been bought for us to enjoy for Christmas Dinner! And, that not everyone gets Birria at Christmas! And, this wasn't the first time that his family has done this either!!!! I guess its a tradition! Surprise Surprise to me!!
When Chuys mom was pregnant with Chuy, they were Shepard's way up in the mountains near Tlapa. They had over 300 sheep and goats....and to butcher and eat a goat was no big deal to them. It was their favorite food, and to have Birria for Christmas was an honor!
Well, I asked Chuy why couldn't they just buy it from the store? WHY did they have to get a LIVE goat and butcher it?
Chuy didn't answer me, and I didn't push it.................. but, I can see now, that this event with the Goat was as normal for him, as having a Christmas tree in my house at Christmas would have been for me. Who was I to question him about what his culture did at Christmas? Eating fresh birria was their way of celebrating.
I did my best to be understanding and all, but the poor bleeting that went on all night was piercing to my heart, as I knew this poor Goats fate, come dawn.
Carmen was up at the break of dawn. She was to kill, butcher and prepare and cook that darn goat. It was an act of love for her family. They would eat and eat WELL on Christmas Eve!
So, I tried to cover my ears, when I knew the time approached that the knife slit the throat, and the last weak bleet was emitted............. yes, a tear came to my eyes. This poor Goat had given its life for me to eat of it! Eating is so different when you actually experience it like this.
I couldnt get the idea of the stories of the Bible out of my head.... where Jesus talks of being the sacrifical lamb... etc. Even though this was a goat, the parable was close enough...
And, the love of Carmen! What a chore! Yet, I saw the look of pride and accomplishment in her eyes when she served up that first dish of Birria...... It was her gift to the family, and she graciously offered seconds over and over.
There was NO presents. No Christmas tree. No wrappings of bright red and green and ribbons of gold and silver.....
The present was the GOAT.
Everyone ate of it the same. No one was left out. No one could say, "Your present is better than mine!" or feel disappointed that they didn't get what they wanted for Christmas!!!! Everyone dished up and ate to their hearts content, and then sat around and happily talked the hours away! Laughing, playing with the new babies, catching up on old times....... and new ones as well.
Meanwhile, as Chuy, Julie and I stayed away, tucked back in the bedrooms, I did alot of thinking.
I decided that this is really what Christmas is all about. The family, eating together, talking, laughing, sharing, bonding! Everyone content!
I guess I must say, that stinky old Goat, and a little Indian family beats it all!
Not sure I will be butchering a Goat for next Christmas, but, I will always remember the year that the Christmas Goat showed me what Christmas is really all about.
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