17th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Smileys

A classic food available for purchase from street vendors in Langa, Cape Town: the ‘smiley’. A smiley is really just a sheep’s head that can be cooked in various ways, but generally first stripped of its fur with heated metal rods, washed, parboiled in drums and then roasted over hot coals. Everything on the inside can be eaten – except perhaps the teeth. The name refers to the grin that the sheep skull seems to make when the fur is charred away. In this image the sheep heads are still sheep heads and have not yet gone through the preparation process. (Kodak ColorPlus 200)

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2019
Date Uploaded: 10.2019
Photo Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Copyright: © Ella Petousis