Photography | Design | Bielefeld
Tony Melvin  0176-620 243-54
The Sacrifice, Istanbul 2012, dragging a cow to a sacrificial post a purchased lamb for the slaughter in Istanbul, Turkey Cutting the throat of a lamb - the sacrifice a blindfolded cow being led to it's sacrifice in Istanbul Portrait of a farmer's boy Goats being sprayed to indicate that they have been sold for the sacrifice Skinning a sacrificed cow Skinning a sacrificed lamb A farmer waiting to sell his cows A boy and his brothering raoming the livestock market Taking a smoking break while the other butcher skins a cow Porait of a livestock seller 2 sacrificed cows waiting to be skinned the crowed walking around the remaining stomach of a cow laying in the dirt sacrificed cows being butchered to share meat among the famailies and needy a blind folded cow being led to the sacrifice station a lamb being divided up among famailies in Istanbul Women washing out the innards of sacrificed animals to prepare for the festival meals a family helping wash and divide the remainings of a sacrificed cow portrait of a man waiting for his sons a throat is slit a prayer before the sacrifice of a lamb the sacrificed lamb is hung to allow it drain a women awaiting her husband sits in thought and prays

The Festival of Sacrifice or kurban koydu - Photographs from Istanbul

The Festival of Sacrifice - Turkish kurban koydu - in the Islamic tradition is one of the most important celebrations. The day of this ritual slaughter begins with a visit to the mosque. We are reminded of the Prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son. God - as he recognized this devotion - sent instead an animal to be sacrificed. In the Jewish and Christian tradition this is the story of Abraham and his son Isaac.

My photographs show the battle in a suburb of Istanbul, as it is. It may be that the images appear raw, but they show the power of this bloody ritual and this is very unflattering. The Festival of Sacrifice is not only a religious act, but like all the festivals of the Muslims, it is characterized by a social attitude. A portion of the flesh of these sacrificed animals is given away to people who are in need.