Merhabalar arkadaşamlar! (Hello Friends!)
Today we’re diving into how to navigate Kurban Bayramı as an animal lover and vegan expat in Türkiye. For me, this involved lots of mindfulness practice and some serious inner dialogue about cultural respect versus personal values. If you’ve ever wondered how to honor cultural traditions while processing your feelings about practices that challenge your personal beliefs, buckle up for this beautifully complex journey! 🦋
If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember this recent post about the incredible street animals of Türkiye and how they’ve basically adopted the entire country as their personal bed-and-breakfast. Today, I’m diving into how Kurban Bayramı—or Eid al-Adha for my international readers—intersects with that topic in ways that have me practicing some serious mindfulness techniques.
What Exactly IS Kurban Bayramı? (A Crash Course for Fellow Culturally-Curious Souls)
Kurban Bayramı is one of the most significant religious holidays in Islam, commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son—though in the end, a ram was provided as a substitute. In Türkiye, this four-day celebration is marked by family gatherings, acts of charity, and yes…animal sacrifice. The dates shift each year based on the lunar calendar, but this year’s celebration ran June 6-9, 2025.
Now, I know what my fellow animal lovers might be thinking right about now—and trust me, I get it. As someone whose personal philosophy centers on love and kindness toward all living beings, this holiday has definitely given me some feelings to work through.
The Street Animal Silver Lining: Extra Love All Around
Remember how I mentioned in my street animals post that Turkish cats basically rule this country? Well, during Kurban Bayramı, their royal status remains completely intact. The neighborhood cats continue their regular routine of demanding attention, claiming the best sunny spots, and graciously accepting offerings from devoted human subjects.
Here’s something beautiful I’ve noticed: during Kurban Bayramı, the spirit of giving extends to street animals too. I’ve watched people leave extra food and water for the street dogs and cats, almost like they’re including them in the holiday generosity. It’s as if the community collectively decides, “If we’re celebrating abundance, everyone—even our four-legged citizens—should be part of it.”
This completely aligns with what I wrote about in my street animals post: how Türkiye has created this incredible system where animals are cared for by the entire community. During the holiday, this care just gets amplified. The behavioral patterns I’ve observed are fascinating—the community’s care for animals intensifies during celebration times. It’s a real-life demonstration of compassion, with the bonus of lots of whiskers and purring.
Finding My Zen in the Chaos (AKA Advanced Mindfulness Practice)
Here’s where my meditation practice really comes in handy. When you’re vegan in a country celebrating a holiday that involves animal sacrifice, you have two choices: judge and feel miserable, or practice radical acceptance and look for the deeper meanings.
I’m choosing door number two (mostly because door number one gives me anxiety and makes me want to eat stress-induced amounts of Turkish delight).
What I’ve discovered is that Kurban Bayramı is fundamentally about:
- Sacrifice and giving (the meat is traditionally shared with those in need)
- Community and family bonds
- Spiritual reflection and gratitude
- Caring for the less fortunate
These are values I can absolutely get behind, even if my version involves donating to local animal shelters instead of, well, the traditional route.
My Alternative Contributions to the Holiday Spirit
Since I can’t participate in the traditional aspects of Kurban Bayramı, I’ve created my own version:
Day 1: Donated to three different animal rescue organizations (because if we’re talking about caring for living beings, I’m ALL in)
Day 2: Cooked a massive batch of vegan Turkish-inspired lentil köfte and left some for the building’s security guard who works through the holiday
Day 3: Spent 30 minutes journaling about gratitude—specifically for this country that’s teaching me daily lessons about community, acceptance, and the art of turning strangers into family
Day 4: Spending time walking around the neighborhood with treats and kibble to give to all of the four-legged friends I meet.
Unexpected Insights from My Thesis Research
As it happens, I recently finished conducting interviews for my thesis research with vegans living in Türkiye, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect (or emotionally complex). Nearly every person I spoke with brought up Kurban Bayramı without me even asking—it was clearly weighing on their minds.
What struck me most was how deeply conflicted many of them felt. These weren’t people looking to judge or criticize; they were genuinely struggling with how to respect a culture they love while processing their own emotional responses to the holiday. One participant told me, “I want to honor my Turkish friends and neighbors, but I also can’t just turn off my feelings about animals.” Another shared how they planned to volunteer at animal shelters during the holiday as their way of channeling those complex emotions into something positive.
It was oddly comforting to realize I wasn’t alone in this internal wrestling match. Sometimes the most challenging cultural moments are the ones that teach us the most about ourselves—and about the beautiful complexity of human experience.
The Learning Curve Continues
Living as a vegan in Türkiye during Kurban Bayramı has taught me that cultural adaptation doesn’t mean compromising your values—it means finding creative ways to honor both your beliefs and your new home’s traditions.
It’s like learning Turkish: I’m never going to sound exactly like a native speaker (my pronunciation of “ğ” (yamaşak g) still sounds like I’m choking on enthusiasm), but I can still communicate, connect, and contribute in my own wonderfully weird way.
To My Fellow Expats (and Anyone Feeling Like a Cultural Fish Out of Water)
Whether you’re vegan in Türkiye, vegetarian in Argentina, or just someone trying to figure out how to be yourself in a new place—you don’t have to choose between your values and cultural respect. You can be both authentically you AND genuinely appreciative of where you are.
Sometimes it just requires extra creativity, a sense of humor about your own learning curve, and the willingness to practice compassion even when your heart feels conflicted.
What’s Next?
Next week, I’m excited to launch my “Meatless Monday” Turkish recipe series! I’ve decided to start with a two-part series featuring my favorite mezze dishes, which is perfect because so many traditional Turkish mezze are already naturally vegan (thank you, Mediterranean influence!). Think creamy hummus, smoky baba ganoush, tangy ezme (spicy tomato and pepper salad), and those addictive stuffed grape leaves that somehow disappear faster than I can make them.
It’s actually genius when you think about it—I can celebrate authentic Turkish flavors while staying true to my plant-based values and share recipes that both vegans and omnivores will actually want to make. Plus, mezze culture is all about sharing and community, which feels like the perfect bridge between my food philosophy and Turkish hospitality traditions.
Plus, the timing couldn’t be better! As we kick off summer, these mezze recipes will be absolute lifesavers for picnics, potlucks, and those spontaneous gatherings where you need something delicious that travels well and tastes even better at room temperature. Nothing says “I always bring the good stuff” quite like showing up with a homemade Turkish mezze dish and watching everyone’s eyes light up!
I’m also working on some helpful resource pages for expats and visitors—including essential Turkish phrases for navigating everyday situations like ordering a taxi, getting directions, and the always-fun challenge of explaining your dietary restrictions at restaurants.
In the meantime, I’ll be here—practicing Turkish with street cats as my unwitting language partners, perfecting my mindfulness meditation, and probably making some inappropriate cultural mistakes that will make good blog content in the future.
Wishing you open hearts, curious minds, and the wisdom to find compassion in every cultural moment—even the ones that challenge us most. 🐑❤️🇹🇷
With love from Ankara, Tiffles, Stormy, and Smokey 🐾
How are you celebrating the holidays in your corner of the world? Any fellow expats out there navigating cultural celebrations that don’t quite align with your lifestyle? Drop a comment below—I love connecting with other beautiful, confused souls on this journey!
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like my previous piece about Türkiye’s incredible street animal culture. And if you’re interested in plant-based living in Türkiye, stay tuned for my upcoming “Meatless Monday” Turkish recipe series, beginning next week Monday!
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