Women’s concert, Nouakchott

A late post of the 8th of March, International Women’s day. Lots of activities around Nouakchott to celebrate this day and month with exhibitions and conferences but I just managed to sketch at the great concert at the “Institute Français” were women from the different identities that compose Mauritania came to sing and celebrate women! 

The first three sketches were done in total darkness keeping my eyes in the stage and hoping something would come out, the last ones I moved closer to the stage and managed to get some light in my sketchbook.

 Hawa Djimera, a Soninke singer opened the concert. The link for Hawa is a video with a Mauritanian rapper, Thieddel Mbaye and a young moor lady singer, Noura, you will recognise Hawa by the big turbans she wears, there are at least 4 different outfits in this video. Artists are doing a lot to foment good will between the different communities that compose the social tissue of Mauritania.

 Followed by a moor lady, Ouleiya mint Amartichitt singing in Hassania ( arabe dialect) traditional songs.

Tabou, a very young women with a beautiful strong voice delighted the audience.

  She’s a young artist using music to voice her beliefs. She’s at the very start of her career.

  Beunja, a troupe of drummers (traditional percussion and chants) from Atar, Adrar. One of the drummers was so shy that her face was covered all through their performance. Note that the lady on the right is using her sandals in an overturned metal bowl to play.

The concert ended with Fama M’baye a Peul lady that got the audience dancing on their seats. In this video clip you can have a glimpse of Nouakchott and the desert has a background for her singing.