Tea, the heartbeat of daily life in Mauritania

Heavily sweetened tea is responsible for many cases of diabetes

Originally published on Global Voices

In Mauritania, tea is part of the national cultural heritage. Consumed at any time, it creates the space for an essential ritual of socialization.

Mauritanians discovered tea in the 1860s. This green tea, initially imported from China in large quantities, was reserved for the upper classes. However, this interest in tea quickly spread to other segments of the population. More than just a drink, tea has become a true ritual that gives meaning to daily life in all communities of the country. Three words sum up this ritual: jmaa (the group), jmar (the embers), and jar (time). The website Les Toiles Maures offers further information:

(…) Jmar, ce sont les braises du charbon de bois  dans le “canoun” sur lesquelles on pose la petite théière d’étain pour  chauffer l’eau.

Le mot Jar indiquant la lenteur qui est employée dans ce contexte en  référence à la danse du même nom, où l’élément marquant est précisément  l’extrême lenteur du mouvement. Lenteur de l’infusion des feuilles de thé  additionnées à la menthe verte, libérant leur arôme subtil(…)

Jmaa signifie le groupe, l’assemblée, car on prépare rarement le thé  pour une seule personne. Cette boisson est le fil reliant les uns aux autres,  les présents, et la petite théière généreuse distribue à chacun son breuvage âpre comme la vie, doux comme l’amour, suave comme la mort(…)

(…)Jmar refers to the charcoal embers in the “canoun,” on which the small tin teapot is placed to heat the water.

The term jar, meaning slowness, is used here in reference to the dance of the same name, characterized by its extremely slow movements. The slow infusion of tea leaves, along with green mint, releases their delicate aroma (…)

Jmaa means the group, the assembly, because tea is rarely prepared for just one person. This beverage is the thread connecting everyone present, with the small generous teapot serving each person their drink, bitter like life, sweet like love, and smooth like death (…)

There is no situation or context that is not suitable for tea consumption: gatherings between colleagues or friends, christenings, business negotiations, weddings. In 2010, Ely ould Allaf, former Minister of Culture of Mauritania, explained to the German channel Deutsche Welle:

On ne conçoit pas une causerie qui ne se fasse pas autour d'un thé. Cela permet aux gens de se retrouver, de s'accepter pendant un certain temps, d'égal à égal. Celui qui fait le thé doit connaître la situation, faire en sorte que le thé s'achève en même temps que la conversation s'épuise. Cela rythme la vie.

A conversation without tea is inconceivable. It brings people together, allows them to interact as equals for a while. The tea maker must be aware of the situation and time the tea to end as the conversation does. It sets the rhythm of life.

Tea making follows a process that must be meticulously respected. In an article about Mauritanian tea, Cheikh Sidya, a correspondent for the website le360 in Nouakchott, outlines the specifics involved in preparing tea:

Le thé est d’abord rincé à l’eau chaude. Il est ensuite mis dans une théière avec une quantité d'eau soigneusement dosée et bouilli pendant un instant. Ensuite, le préparateur, appelé «théificateur», verse et reverse la boisson dans plusieurs verres créant ainsi de la mousse dans chacun des verres. La boisson est ainsi réchauffée puis sucrée et aromatisé avec la menthe avant d’être servie à chaud dans des petits verres qui gardent l’indispensable mousse sans laquelle certains préfèrent bouder le verre.

First, the tea is rinsed with hot water. It is then placed in a teapot with a carefully measured amount of water and boiled for a while. Next, the person preparing it,  the “tea maker,” pours and repours the drink into multiple glasses, creating foam in each one. The drink is then reheated, sweetened, and flavoured with mint before being served hot in small glasses that retain the essential foam, which some people prefer not to drink.

In this video, Mauritanian women explain the importance and value of tea in Mauritanian tradition, its significance, and its preparation.

Tea, several times a day

Tea is consumed without limit: upon waking, every Mauritanian drinks a glass to start the day, a gesture repeated countless times throughout the day, during breaks at work, and in conversations with friends and family. In his article on the subject, Cheikh Sidya explains:

Dans la quasi-totalité des demeures mauritaniennes, en partant des quartiers huppés de Tevragh-Zeina, la vitrine de Nouakchott, jusqu’aux coins les plus reculés des zones périurbaines, cette boisson est servie 3 à 4 fois la journée. En fait, il s’agit là d’une fréquence minimale, car parfois, le thé coule de manière continue du matin à l’heure du coucher.

In nearly all Mauritanian homes, from the affluent neighborhoods of Tevragh-Zeina, the jewel of Nouakchott, to the most remote corners of peri-urban areas, this beverage is served three to four times a day. In fact, this is the minimum frequency as, sometimes, tea flows continuously from morning until bedtime.

Whenever tea is served in public, each person must drink three glasses. This obligation carries a specific meaning as Chingi Tours, a tourist information site about the country, explains:

Le premier verre est amer comme la vie, le deuxième fort comme l'amour et le troisième doux comme la mort.

The first glass is bitter like life, the second strong like love, and the third sweet like death.

Even during economic crises or rising food prices, the pace of tea consumption remains unchanged. Ould Mohamed Mahmoud, a wholesale merchant, explained to Deutsche Welle:

Toute la population mauritanienne boit du thé 24h sur 24h, ça fait partie de sa vie, alors le thé se vend très facilement. Pour les Mauritaniens la crise peut avoir un impact sur l'achat de la nourriture mais pas sur l'achat du thé.

The entire Mauritanian population drinks tea 24/7; it's an integral part of their life, so it always sells. For Mauritanians, the crisis may affect food purchases but not tea purchases.

Regarding how often and where it is consumed, Cheikh Sidya adds:

Le service du thé est également assuré en permanence dans toutes les administrations publiques et privées. Tant pis pour la productivité. Certains vendeurs ambulants proposent du thé dans divers endroits tout au long de la journée. Même au cours du voyage, dans les camions ou autocars, les Mauritaniens ne se passent pas du thé. Les apprentis préparent le thé avec des mini-réchaud à gaz et le servent aux voyageurs sans même avoir besoin de s’arrêter.

Tea is served constantly in all governmental and private offices, so much for productivity. Some street vendors sell tea in various locations throughout the day. Even during journeys in trucks or buses, Mauritanians cannot do without tea. Apprentices use mini gas stoves to prepare tea and serve it to travelers without the need to stop.

The impact on health

While tea is highly prized in the country, the ingredients used in its preparation, especially the significant amounts of caffeine and sugar, are responsible for some of the health issues affecting Mauritanians. In response to this situation, Dr. Sidi ould Zahaf told Deutsche Welle in 2010:

Pour les diabétiques, dans le cas d'anémies, d'hypertension artérielle, d'insuffisance cardio-vasculaire, souvent on déconseille le thé. Maintenant, est-ce que c'est vraiment respecté? Pour un Mauritanien, c'est difficile.On aurait préféré une autre prescription!

For diabetics, those with anemia, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular insufficiency, tea is often not recommended. But is this advice actually followed? For a Mauritanian, it's tough. They would have preferred a different prescription!

In 2021, there were warnings about pesticide contamination in tea leaves in the country, prompting numerous analyses. According to the website Mauriweb, in June 2024, Dr. Mohamed Baba Saïd, a Mauritanian chemist and chemistry professor at Clermont-Ferrand University in France, concluded that the results confirmed the presence of toxic substances.

Given the large number of tea drinkers in the country, these multiple health risks can impact the Mauritanian population extensively.

Written by Jean Sovon Translated by Jean-Christophe Brunet · View original post [fr]