An Algerian friend asked me about Mauritanian music, so here are some sketches I did last year during the Nomad's Music Festival in Nouakchott.
Traditional music from the Moors will sound to our ears as a monotonous repetition of sounds in a rhythm we're unfamiliar with.
Its like driving across the desert off the track. Looking at the expanses ahead and thinking it all just looks alike. Gripping the GPS modern men can brave the unknown.
For the moors that have been crossing this enormous expanse of desert for centuries from Guelmin, Morocco to Tindouf, Algeria to Chinguetti, Mauritania to Timbuktu, Mali. This surface sends billions of information precious for survival. All their senses have been trained to capture the slightest detail in the landscape.
Three instruments can be found, the ardin a kind of harp played by the women, the tednet a four string luth played by the men and the tbol (drum) played by women and men.
The man playing and singing is Sidi ould Dendeni at the French Cultural Center during " Le Festival de Music Nomades" at Nouakchott, 2008.
Traditional music from the Moors will sound to our ears as a monotonous repetition of sounds in a rhythm we're unfamiliar with.
Its like driving across the desert off the track. Looking at the expanses ahead and thinking it all just looks alike. Gripping the GPS modern men can brave the unknown.
For the moors that have been crossing this enormous expanse of desert for centuries from Guelmin, Morocco to Tindouf, Algeria to Chinguetti, Mauritania to Timbuktu, Mali. This surface sends billions of information precious for survival. All their senses have been trained to capture the slightest detail in the landscape.
That's how you're supposed to listen and to dance to this music. Giving time to your senses to absorb this music that won't let herself be caught in the speed of our times. And that by their subtle changes will make the hands of women flutter like butterflies.
Three instruments can be found, the ardin a kind of harp played by the women, the tednet a four string luth played by the men and the tbol (drum) played by women and men.
The man playing and singing is Sidi ould Dendeni at the French Cultural Center during " Le Festival de Music Nomades" at Nouakchott, 2008.