The interior decoration of the houses of Oualata (Mauritania) is linked to the brilliant doctrine that flourished in this town between the 16th and 18th centuries and attracted many foreigners. It deeply shaped the local, very puritanical mores, and one of the social consequences was the confinement of women. Struggling with boredom, they came up with the idea of richly decorating the interior of the house. The paintings were applied to the whitewashed walls with a finger. Here, the artist Fafa Mint Barka at work. - Mauritania - 1970
The interior decoration of the houses of Oualata (Mauritania) is linked to the brilliant doctrine that flourished in this town between the 16th and 18th centuries and attracted many foreigners. It deeply shaped the local, very puritanical mores, and one of the social consequences was the confinement of women. Struggling with boredom, they came up with the idea of richly decorating the interior of the house. The paintings were applied to the whitewashed walls with a finger. Here, the artist Fafa Mint Barka at work. - Mauritania - 1970