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Mauritania
Index
The two most prominent occupational castes in Maure society
are skilled craftsmen (or artisans) and entertainers (or
storytellers). Artisans practice blacksmithing and ironworking,
jewelrymaking, woodworking, tanning and leatherworking,
potterymaking, shoemaking, weaving, and tailoring. All crafts but
weaving and tailoring are performed by men. Although the
hassani, zawaya, and zenaga regard artisans
as their inferiors, the elite values their products and services,
and craftsmen are sometimes allowed to live among the elite on a
nearly equal basis.
Entertainers, poets, and musicians constitute a special
group. Maure society, like most Islamic societies, places a high
value on poetry and music. At the same time, some Maures fear
poets and musicians, to whom they attribute occult knowledge and
mystical powers that can be physically or politically
threatening. Accordingly, noble families often become the patrons
of entertainers; thus, the nobles are able to demonstrate their
elite status while obtaining both entertainment and protection.
Fishermen, salt miners, and nomadic hunters are economically and
socially marginal to Mauritanian society and are generally
considered outside the caste system.
Data as of June 1988
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