Cities that were once a cultural beacon in the Sahara are finally getting the attention they deserve.
Mauritania established a 2.6m-euro fund to promote UNESCO world heritage sites Chinguetti , Oudane, Tichitt and Oualata, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz announced on Wednesday (February 16th).
"The least we can offer to these cities is to maintain their glorious past so as to hand it over to the next generations," the president said at the opening of the first "Festival of Ancient Cities" in Chinguetti.
"We will organise this cultural event once a year in each one of these cities," he added, promising that this would take place each Mouled.
The president said that a percentage of customs duties from the state budget would be earmarked for cultural development. Ould Abdel Aziz said these funds would be directly reflected on the development of ancient cities.
"We are all called to... popularise the cultural influence of these cities and give a good image of our country, through its role of serving moderate Islam, far from any form of extremism and terrorism," the president said.
The festival was an occasion to showcase the traditional aspects of Mauritanian society through traditional industries and folkloric dances. Camel and donkey races were organised alongside poetry contests, Qur'an recitations, and decorative arts. Ancient manuscripts and historic books were also displayed.
"In the past, we wouldn't dream of such an event," said Mohamed Cheikh Mohammed Lemin, an imam at the oldest mosque in historic Ouadane and exhibition supervisor. "However, after we announced this festival weeks ago, we dreamt about realising it. And here we are today living it as a reality. This expresses our real concerns as residents of these ancient cities."
"The festival has a profound meaning because it revives Mauritania from its depths and sheds light on its cultural identity; something that enhances the presence of society and restores trust in its originality. If these historical moments were taken advantage of, they would have cultural, economic and social dimensions," the imam added.
For his part, Dr Hamah Allah Mayaba, a researcher of the history of the old city of Tichitt, said: "In this festival, I see an important gesture to the Mauritanian heritage which the authorities in the past were looking at from the angle of political gains only." He added, "We have to understand that culture and heritage are a basic component of life."
"Paying attention to heritage is linked to existence, personal fulfilment, and gratitude for the people of the past who wanted culture to be the only way for the continuation of this people in the face of foreign cultural invasion," Oualata festival co-ordinator Sidi Ould Merzoug said.
"Oualata has peculiarities that distinguish it from other ancient cities," Ould Merzoug explained. "Such peculiarities were imposed by its geographical location that placed it on an area linking the Sahara with the Sub-Sahara African kingdoms. Therefore, it stores the components of different ancient African civilisations that were located nearby. This has been reflected on the pattern of decoration, architecture, domestic utensils and colours of houses and meals."
The event was important because it highlighted the need to preserve the cities' heritage and the necessity of tools to save rare manuscripts that are in danger of being lost, according to Hassan Ould Mokhtar, an organiser of an art fair in Chinguetti.
"The festival is also important because it further contributes to cultural and civilisational symbiosis between the residents of several Mauritanian cities who are united by one goal, i.e. the preservation of Mauritanian and world heritage, especially in a religious occasion such as the birthday of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) who spread the teachings of moderate and tolerant Islam away from terrorism and extremism," Ould Mokhtar said.
© Magharebia.com 2011
