Tout ce que vous devez savoir sur la Mauritanie #mauritanie — Transcript

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1. 0:13When North African countries come to mind,
2. 0:16Algeria, Morocco, or even Mali probably spring up first.
3. 0:21But do you know Mauritania?
4. 0:24Of course, we could talk in general terms about this country,
5. 0:28say that its currency is the ouguiya, which has been in force since 1 January 2018,
6. 0:33or highlight the presence of an administrative capital, Nouakchott,
7. 0:39and an economic capital, Nouadhibou,
8. 0:42or even its surface area of 1,036,000 km².
9. 0:48However, Mauritania is much more than that.
10. 0:50It's a thousand-year-old history of cultures, languages, and peoples.
11. 0:55Its history stretches back to prehistoric times,
12. 0:59as evidenced by the presence of rock paintings and engravings in caves
13. 1:04or on cliffs,
14. 1:06which are markers of human presence.
15. 1:09A presence confirmed in the Neolithic period
16. 1:13with the discovery of structured settlements
17. 1:16and the arrival of the Bafour and the Fulani.
18. 1:21It continued with the rise of the Ghana empire,
19. 1:24founded by the Soninke people.
20. 1:27Then, came the arrival of the Beidane,
21. 1:31in the 15th century, which made lasting changes
22. 1:34to the social and ethnic structure of society,
23. 1:37giving rise to an Arab-Berber group,
24. 1:41and spreading the Hassaniya Arabic dialect
25. 1:45which is still spoken today.
26. 1:47In the 19th century, French colonisation took place,
27. 1:51until it finally gains its independence
28. 1:55proclaimed on November 28, 1960.
29. 2:06Mauritania's history has strongly affected its population and society.
30. 2:12Mauritania is not a singular people, but rather a multitude of peoples.
31. 2:22The Haratin, who make up 40% of the population,
32. 2:26are descendants of black slaves of the Beidane, of Bafour origin,
33. 2:32heavily assimilated
34. 2:34and somewhat mixed with the White Moors,
35. 2:37with whom they share the same language and culture.
36. 2:42The Beidane (literally "the White" in Arabic),
37. 2:45or White Moors,
38. 2:47represent 30% of the population.
39. 2:51They are the descendants of successive waves of Arab settlement,
40. 2:55or more or less mixed with pre-existing Berber and Black populations.
41. 3:03And finally,
42. 3:04Black Africans,
43. 3:06who make up around 30% of the population,
44. 3:09comprising several ethnic groups:
45. 3:12The Fulani or Peuls,
46. 3:14one of the country's oldest peoples,
47. 3:18most of them come from the south of the country.
48. 3:23The Soninke are the descendants of the inhabitants of the Ghana empire,
49. 3:27which dominated the country until the fall of the empire.
50. 3:31The Wolof,
51. 3:33most of these people live in the south of Trarza,
52. 3:37on the banks of the Senegal River.
53. 3:41The Bambara are also present in the south of the country,
54. 3:44mainly in the Guidimakha region.
55. 3:49As a result of this multi-ethnic presence, there is one official language, Arabic,
56. 3:54and national languages, Hassaniya Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof.
57. 4:01And due to colonisation, French is a working language of the administration.
58. 4:08Learning about Mauritania,
59. 4:10also means getting to know the country of a million poets.
60. 4:15"Mon pays est une perle discrète
61. 4:19Telle des traces dans le sable
62. 4:22Mon pays est une perle discrète
63. 4:25Telle des murmures des vagues
64. 4:27Sous un bruissement vespéral
65. 4:30Mon pays est un palimpseste
66. 4:34Où s'usent mes yeux insomniaques
67. 4:37Pour traquer la mémoire"
68. 4:40This is the song of my country
69. 4:42by the poet and linguist Ousmane Diagana.
70. 4:45These few verses represent
71. 4:47the major themes and inspirations of Mauritanian poetry,
72. 4:52whose roots branch out to the Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof mythologies
73. 4:59as well as in the rich Hassaniya poetic traditions.
74. 5:04They speak of love and nostalgia for the richness of their country,
75. 5:09embracing their Arabness and Africanness.
76. 5:13This hybridity is also felt in its culinary culture.
77. 5:18You can try the "Ngommou" couscous
78. 5:22made with wheat, millet or barley flour.
79. 5:28You will feast on Thieboudienne,
80. 5:31a dish made with rice, vegetables, fish and tomato sauce,
81. 5:37which is the national Mauritanian dish.
82. 5:39Without forgetting Mafe,
83. 5:41a dish where lamb or chicken is simmered slowly in a peanut sauce.
84. 5:49But how would the pleasure of taste be
85. 5:52without the pleasure of the eyes?
86. 5:54Come visit
87. 5:55the Banc d'Arguin
88. 5:57listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989.
89. 6:05You'll explore breathtaking landscapes,
90. 6:08sandbanks, dunes, and mudflats.
91. 6:13A multitude of animal species and seagrass beds.
92. 6:18This reserve is home to many migratory birds
93. 6:22from France, Holland and even Siberia.
94. 6:27Then head to Chinguetti,
95. 6:30in the Adrar desert,
96. 6:32which, like Ouadane and Oualata,
97. 6:37is one of Mauritania's historic desert towns.
98. 6:41Renowned for their architecture and cultural influence,
99. 6:46these towns once lined the trans-Saharan caravan route.
100. 6:51Continue your journey to Ouadane.
101. 6:54Located 120 kilometers from Chinguetti,
102. 6:57Ouadane, founded in the 17th century,
103. 7:00is one of the ancient caravan cities of the desert.
104. 7:04The old town is perched on a hill
105. 7:06and although it is a ruin,
106. 7:09at sunset,
107. 7:10the show is a feast for the eyes.
108. 7:13Finally, go to Oualata,
109. 7:16hard to reach,
110. 7:19nestled deep in the desert,
111. 7:21Oualata is a 3-hour drive from Néma.
112. 7:26At the entrance of the town,
113. 7:27a fort built in 1912 under French rule
114. 7:32resembles a monolith.
115. 7:34Upon reaching the foot of the citadel,
116. 7:36you will discover the town and its old stones.
117. 7:41Its known origins date back to around 500 years AH,
118. 7:46in the 11th century.
119. 7:48You'll discover the architectural heritage of Mauritania,
120. 7:51by visiting Oualata's traditional houses.
121. 7:57I hope you've been captivated by this glimpse into Mauritania as much as I have.
122. 8:01Until next time, goodbye!
123. 8:03Ma'a salam !
124. 8:05Don't forget to subscribe to the AFTCom Channel!