sahelsounds

A small town in the rugged interior of Mauritania, an ancient site renowned for its libraries and a caravan trading town for wellover a thousand years.

Ambient recording


Nearly every night, one can hear a distant drumming and chanting. I stumble out in the dark to discover the source. In a crumbling courtyard across the wadi in the old section of town, fifteen men are gathered. This is called "Medh" - or chanting for the Prophet Mohammed. Two men are leading the songs, but everyone is joined in the chanting. There are a few woman present, and the occassionally join in with the shrill cry as they mingle in the background, preparing tea. In Chinguetti, this occurs almost every night, and I am to understand that it is performed exclusively by the "black" Moor.


Medh from a distance


Medh 1


Medh 2


One afternoon I meet with Mama Dimi Mint, a performer in Moudou ould Mattalla group. I come along with the guitar, and bring a trail of children with me. On the tapi (straw mat), a mass of children, boys and girls at their respective sides, play tbal (a shallow drum that looks like a bowl covered with a skin), clap, sing, and bang on whatever else they can find.


Mama Dimi Mint and kids 1

Mama Dimi Mint and kids 2

Mama Dimi Mint and kids 3

Labels: chinguetti, haratine, mauritania, medh