Table of Contents
Introduction
Mauritania is a country in Northwestern Africa with a rich cultural heritage. Music and dance are integral parts of Mauritanian culture, with traditions dating back centuries. Mauritanian music and dance reflect the country’s ethnic diversity, influenced by Arab, African, and French cultures. Despite globalization, traditional music and dance remain essential for cultural identity in Mauritania.
Instruments Used in Traditional Mauritanian Music
The ardin is a popular lute-like instrument used in traditional music. Made from wood and camel or goat skin, it produces a melodic, string sound. The tidinit is a four-stringed guitar, played by plucking and strumming. Percussive instruments like the tbal (drum) and daghumma (rattle) provide rhythmic accompaniment in Mauritanian music. Other instruments include the four-stringed guembri guitar, the hoddu (violin), and the tabalbeit (harp). Vocal chants and poetry also feature prominently.
Popular Genres of Mauritanian Music
Some well-known genres of traditional Mauritanian music include hawl, a mix of poetry and vocals; shiil, sung poetry performed by women; and teshumara, a complex form of competitive poetry. Guedra music, characterized by drumming and chanting, is used in spiritual ceremonies. Other genres include saloum folk songs and safa spiritual songs and chants. Reggada blends Moorish and sub-Saharan sounds, incorporating modern instruments like keyboards and guitars.
Origins and Influences
Mauritanian music evolved from indigenous black African and Berber sounds. Arab-Islamic influences came later, introducing instruments like the tidinit and ardin. French colonial ties also impacted Mauritanian music, heard through brass and woodwind instruments. These diverse influences created a unique musical fusion in Mauritania.
Popular Traditional Dances of Mauritania
Ahidous is a ritual dance traditionally performed by Moors before celebrations or events. Dancers form a circle, linking pinkies or using sticks, stomping rhythmically to drum beats. Dihya involves swift, graceful movements, with flowing robes that swirl dramatically. It may commemorate ancestors and historical events. Lewla is a communal circle dance, accompanied by handclapping and singing. Dancers alternate moving clockwise and counterclockwise.
Meanings and Purposes Behind the Dances
Mauritanian dances often convey cultural meaning. Ahidous is tied to preparation for events, symbolizing community solidarity. Dihyas represent dignity and Mauritanian identity. Lewla promotes social bonding and vitality. Dances also mark milestones like weddings, births, or harvests. The hypnotic drumming and chants can induce spiritual trances. Dances thus carry significance beyond entertainment.
Costumes and Props Used in Traditional Dances
Traditional Mauritanian dance costumes reflect tribal and ethnic affiliation. Ahidous dancers wear long robes called melhfa, along with scarves or turbans. Dihya utilizes billowing m’bera skirts. Gold jewelry and headdresses adorn women dancers. Lewla involves traditional boubou robes. Props include tassel-covered batons or carved sticks, rhythm instruments like drums or rattles, swords, and staffs. Veils, robes, and sashes flow dramatically during spinning dances.
Cultural Significance of Traditional Music and Dance
Music and dance are integral for preserving Mauritanian cultural identity and heritage. They transmit values, stories, and history to younger generations. Traditional choreography requires great skill, passed down through generations. Dances represent dignity, grace and community strength. Music and dance mark milestones, strengthen bonds, and bring spiritual awareness. They are thus vitally important for maintaining indigenous culture amidst globalization.
Threats to Traditional Music and Dance
Traditional Mauritanian music and dance face challenges today. Modernization has introduced new forms of entertainment and cultural expression. Climate changes and desertification threaten pastoralist traditions. Lack of funding limits cultural preservation. The outlawing of slavery changed traditional social hierarchies tied to music and dance. Young people increasingly move to cities, where traditional music and dance are less prevalent. Globalization could erode local traditions over time.
Efforts to Preserve Traditional Music and Dance
Conscious preservation combats threats to Mauritanian heritage. Music and dance associations promote local genres through festivals and concerts. Government programs fund training in traditional arts. Tourism helps generate interest and economic incentives. Radio stations showcase traditional music alongside modern genres. Many Mauritanians actively try passing traditions to children and newcomers to sustain their vitality. Ongoing activism maintains Mauritanian culture against globalization trends.
Conclusion
Mauritania possesses a rich traditional heritage of music and dance that remains vitally important today. Instruments like the ardin and tidinit, coupled with genres like hawl and teshumara, showcase the country’s unique fusion of African, Berber, and Arabic influences. Dances like ahidous and dihya convey community values and history. Despite modernization pressures, conscious efforts help maintain Mauritanian music and dance traditions, promoting lasting cultural identity. Globalization calls for intensified preservation activism to safeguard Mauritania’s intangible heritage. Traditional music and dance represent the heart and soul of Mauritanian culture.
FAQs
What are some traditional instruments used in Mauritanian music?
Some common traditional Mauritanian instruments include the ardin lute, tidinit guitar, tbal drum, daghumma rattle, guembri guitar, hoddu violin, and tabalbeit harp. Vocals and chants also play a central role.
What is the cultural significance of traditional Mauritanian dances?
Dances carry meanings tied to events, values, and history. They promote community cohesion, mark milestones, develop spiritual connections, and transmit cultural knowledge and dignity.
What threats face traditional music and dance in Mauritania today?
Threats include modernization, climate change effects on pastoralists, lack of funding, changed social hierarchies, urbanization, and cultural globalization.
What genres represent traditional Mauritanian music?
Prominent traditional genres include hawl, shiil, teshumara, guedra, saloum, safa, and reggada, as well as varied vocal chants. These blend African, Berber, and Arabic influences.
How can Mauritanians preserve their traditional music and dance?
Strategies include festivals, concerts, funding cultural programs, promoting tourism, broadcasting local music, and actively teaching the young to sustain traditions.