Leblouh

Leblouh (Arabic: البلوح, lə-blūḥ) refers to the cultural practice of force-feeding young girls, primarily found in Mauritania, Western Sahara, and southern Morocco. Historically, within certain societies of this region, a fuller physique was deemed as a symbol of wealth, affluence, and desirability, particularly in the context of marriage prospects.

Origins

This tradition traces its roots back to the 11th century and has been intricately linked to Tuareg traditions. The synonym gavage is borrowed from the French term associated with the force-feeding of geese to produce foie gras. Notably, after the ascension of a military junta in Mauritania in 2008, there was a discernible resurgence of this practice.

Process

The leblouh process is overseen by older women, often referred to as "fatteners". These women are tasked with ensuring that the young girls consume copious amounts of food and liquids. Any reluctance or refusal on the part of the girls is met with pain-inflicting methods; one such method involves pinching a limb between two sticks. As an example of the excessive consumption, a six-year-old might be coerced into drinking up to 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal) of camel's milk and consuming two kilograms of pounded millet combined with two cups of butter on a daily basis. Despite the evidently abusive nature of leblouh, it is often rationalized by mothers as a necessary ordeal to guarantee their daughters a secure and prosperous future.

Modern Perspectives

Contemporary generations, especially males, in Mauritania have begun to view leblouh in a negative light. As noted by Mohamed el-Mounir in a 2009 The Guardian article:

"Fattening is something from the 1950s. These days girls watch fashion shows on television. Their role models are American actresses or Lebanese singers in sexy dresses. Girls do sport. Yes, Mauritanian men like slightly round women. But there is no way we want them obese."

Cultural References

In African folklore, there is a tale titled "The Tortoise with a Pretty Daughter" from Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria (1910). This story contains elements reminiscent of the leblouh practice, where a young girl is kept in a "fatting house" and made to gain weight before her marriage, given the Efik people's admiration for plumpness as a beauty standard.

See Also

• Fat fetishism
• Health in Mauritania
• Human rights in Mauritania
• Obesity in the Middle East and North Africa
• Women in Mauritania

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  Tunisian Jewish woman, about 1900.

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  Big Jew, from Garrigues on Djerba island.

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  Tunisian Jewish woman of the 1910s.

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  Jewish women in Tunisia. About 1910.

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