Le gavage est-il une pratique économique ou une pratique sociale ?

Abstract EN

The phenomenon of “lebluh” or force-feeding in Mauritania is a custom consisting of giving food and drinking coercively to girls in order to increase their build and weight as a symbol of beautifulness, nobility and wealth in both Moor (Arabic speakers) and African societies.

It is important to note that the integration and the spread of such practice in the Moor society are due to the neighborhood relations and cultural contacts between the Arab and African civilizations.

The African communities believe that the plump woman as a symbol of wealth and respect and as an attractive beautifulness, generally she is assigned the role of organizing the matrimonial ceremonies and the ritual of girls circumcision; contrary, the slim woman is considered as a symbol of poverty and indigence, pertaining to the lower classes.

This vision has clearly influenced for some time the Arabic community, such influence confirms the hypothesis that gives priority, in terms of the hierarchical importance of interpreting the force-feeding phenomena, to the social factors on the account of sanitary and economic ones.

For the last years and with the medical progress, the traditional values of force-feeding has notably regressed.

Surveys have shown the risk of weight increase.

This decrease is mainly the result of girls schooling, sedentarisation and change of minds.