by Ely Ould Abdellah, Mauritania, November 1999
THEME = SOCIAL CONDTIONS
The Imeraguen, while generally considered
to be desert dwellers,
also have strong connections with the
sea.
Indeed, they live in fishing villages dotted
along the
northern coast of Mauritania
A sober and enterprising community, the Imeraguen, over the centuries have developed fishing techniques for exploiting the rich fishing grounds belonging to them.
They know how to dry fish, extract the oils, and concoct various dishes, some of which are reputed to be therapeutic. Every year, Imeraguen villages host thousands of patients who come to be cured of anaemia, digestive disorders, dizziness, hypochondria, or anxiety states, among others. The vast majority of patients depart completely cured and broadcast the skill of these traditional healers of the coast, their hospitality and the quality of their remedies.
Living between the vast aridity of the desert and the immense waters of the Atlantic, the Imeraguen have learnt to adapt to one of the harshest environments on earth, where one of the greatest challenges is the lack of drinking water. Before the installation of desalination plants, the Imeraguen, through their ingenuity and knowledge of the terrain, knew how to unearth spots where wells of drinkable water could be dug.
In the 16th Century, the Portuguese reached the natural harbour at Cape Timiris, about 400 km north-west of Nouakchott. They were amazed by the way the Imeraguen caught fish. This was based on a perfect knowledge of the natural milieu coupled with remarkable adaptation. Passed from father to son, these gave every Imeraguen fisherman a most valuable advantage.
Without any special training, each fisherman is a first class weather forecaster. They know, with an uncanny precision, the tide times, the weather favouring the movement of shoals of fish, the periods of breeding, as well as the migratory habits of each species. They have a pretty accurate estimate of the sea depths in their area and can trace the corridors of low pressure along which each species of fish travels.
Moreover, the sites of Imeraguen villages along the coast, are governed by reference to these corridors. That's why they won't allow any buildings between their villages, lest the fish be disturbed and move away to safer areas.
Jealous guardians of the ecosystems, the Imeraguen have a fishing schedule and never catch more than needed to feed themselves. For centuries, they've kept closed seasons so that fish stocks are not depleted.
The sea has no secrets for these men of the desert. They even have allies among the creatures of the deep. When it's the season for yellow mullet in the winter, the Imeraguen know how to call in the dolphins to help corner their prey. When a school of yellow mullet approaches, the Imeraguen beat the water with clubs, singing to call in the dolphins. The latter respond by forming a semi-circle around the school of mullet, driving them towards the fishermen on the coast, thus providing easy prey for both the fishermen and the dolphins.
This is a wonderful world where man and animals work together using the simplest of means to wrest a livelihood from the sea. But can it resist the temptations of technological progress? Modern society is pushing the Imeraguen to wear overalls, to equip their canoes with outboard motors and to use telecommunications for weather forecasts, rather than relying on traditional methods which have always proved effective.
All this will be unfortunate for the Imeraguen, the dolphins and the environment which will lose one of the last remaining unspoilt ecosystems.
Motorised canoes, four-wheel drive vehicles which can take them all over the continent, and electric lighting powered by solar panels are completely changing the face of the land and the centuries' old way of life. In the long run, it's the Imeraguen, guardians of one of the world's oldest fishing traditions, who will be the losers.
END