http://author.voanews.com/english/africa/blog/index.cfm African music treasures is a Voice of America blog that allows you to discover rare African recordings from the VOA's unique African music library. Many of the recordings featured on the blog are unreleased recordings of traditional and contemporary music that were originally recorded for the VOA program MUSIC TIME IN AFRICA. en-us Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:47:46 -0000 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:06:00 -0000 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss mlavoie@voanews.com mlavoie@voanews.com http://author.voanews.com/english/africa/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=BD169367-DC7C-DC07-AA167D07F93AC7B5 Over the last five decades the Islamic Republic of Mauritania has gone through profound climatic and demographic changes. In 1960, when Mauritania won her independence from France, over 60% of all Mauritanians were nomads, and the capital city of Nouakchott was home to only 500 persons. (The first president of Mauritania, Moktar ould Daddah, initially lived in a khaima, a traditional tent, which he had installed on the grounds of what is now the Presidential Palace). Today, only 5% of Maurita... Islamic Republic of Mauritania Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:06:00 -0000 /english/africa/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=BD169367-DC7C-DC07-AA167D07F93AC7B5 http://author.voanews.com/english/africa/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=A4123F51-D157-2C77-C58C4BCE6DD44C37 The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is where West Africa and the Maghreb meet- a huge, sparsely populated, country-stretching between Morocco and Senegal, Mali and the Atlantic ocean. The country's name comes from its dominant ethnic group, the Moors (Maures in French), and it is their nomadic traditions and culture that give Mauritania its unique character. The Moors, or Beydane (as they call themselves), are very proud of their music. One of the country's great music aficionados used to tell me... Islamic Republic of Mauritania Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:12:00 -0000 /english/africa/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=A4123F51-D157-2C77-C58C4BCE6DD44C37