Eid al-Adha bonds PRT community

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – As Muslims across the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, service members in Afghanistan shared the tradition, here, at Forward Operating Base Gardez Nov. 6.

Soldiers and Airmen with Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya shared a traditional Eid dinner with the team’s cultural advisors and linguists; taking the opportunity to discuss Afghan culture, Islamic traditions, and the meaning of the holiday.

“This is the most important Eid celebration of the year,” said Shakilla Zikeria, the team’s linguist and cultural advisor. “The holiday shows sacrifice and submission for God.”

Based on the story found in the Old Testament and Quran, Eid al-Adha remembers Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in an act of submission to God’s will, Zikeria said.

Traditionally, Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of the final month of the Islamic calendar, the day after the pilgrims perform their Hajj — the annual pilgrimage to Mecca — and descend from Mount Arafat.

“The Soldiers and Airmen need to know about Islam because it is such a large part of the society in Paktya,” Zikeria said.  “They are making every effort to become familiar with the local customs and traditions.”
 
Zikeria said most Afghans in the province understand American forces are here to help. Their interaction has made a huge impact on the local perception through an overall understanding of culture and integrated Pashto phrases into daily conversation.
“The seemingly little tasks make a huge difference to Afghans here,” Zikeria added. “They recognize the efforts to learn, and it opens the doors for strong relationships.”

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Ryan Mills, the team’s intelligence officer from Chicago, made it his responsibility to ensure the PRT members are aware of local culture.

Mills coordinated with cultural advisors to conduct bi-monthly cultural lessons. He said meetings are an opportunity for the Afghan advisors to dispel rumors and discuss local traditions, customs and considerations for service members to use during future engagements with Afghans.

“Our advisors and linguists choose which topics to teach about according to what they’ve seen throughout the weeks,” Mills said. “It serves as a reminder that we’re in another country and to be cognizant of local customs.”

“The PRT mission calls us to interact daily with our Afghan counterparts,” he said. “Whether we’re coordinating with government officials or sharing a meal with locals, it’s important for us to know the do’s and don’ts of the culture.”