Behind the Veil: seduction, marriage, and divorce in Mauritania

Derrière le voile

Overview

Moorish society allows a great deal of freedom in the relationship between men and women. In the tent, in this feminine place, men are admitted. In the city, in Nouakchott, customs have been adapted. The women receive guests in their living rooms. Hassan is a young man who roams the streets of Nouakchott looking for a girl to seduce. Through poetry, he perpetuates the tradition of courtly love. In their salon Aziza, Amina, Fatimétou and Farida listen to him and tell us about their dreams of young Moorish girls.