A Mauritanian tea session at Istanbul Airport... a scene that ignites social networking sites

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Pictures circulated on social media sparked widespread controversy, after a number of Mauritanian travelers appeared preparing tea inside Istanbul Airport in Turkey, in a scene that re-highlighted the presence of local customs and traditions even in places of travel.

The photo, which has spread widely in recent hours on Mauritanian social media and platforms, shows a group of people lying on the airport floor and gathering around tea-preparing utensils and some food, in a scene that appeared remarkable inside one of the busiest airports in Türkiye.

The scene ignited social networking sites in Mauritania, where comments varied between those who considered it an expression of Mauritanians’ adherence to their customs and traditions wherever they live, and those who saw the scene as unusual behavior inside an international airport, especially with the use of tools to prepare tea in a place designated for travelers, and the chaos and waste that appeared, while others chose to comment sarcastically on the presence of Mauritanian tea even in Istanbul.

One of the commentators said: “The Mauritanian takes tea with him wherever he goes. This is the identity that does not change.” However, he pointed out that “a tea session at an international airport gives a negative image to the Mauritanian traveler,” stressing that “tea could have been made in a less chaotic way.”

On the other hand, activist Hamoud Yaslam defended the right of travelers to practice their customs, and wrote, commenting on the scene: “Very good, as long as the place is kept clean and others are not disturbed. As for preparing tea and eating food, this is a very normal thing,” adding: “We are not forced to imitate others at the expense of our customs.”

The comments were not devoid of sarcasm, as some users saw that Mauritanian tea appeared to be present with its owners wherever they went, while others criticized the photo, considering that it presented what they described as a “bad image” of Mauritanians, especially in an international place that receives travelers of different nationalities.

Activist Ibrahim Mahfouz said that the traveler “does not only represent himself, but rather represents a society, a state and a culture,” warning that the spread of such images may cause harassment of Mauritanians at the airport.

Tea occupies a special place in Mauritanian culture, as it represents part of the rituals of hospitality and social communication, and the tea session is seen as a custom rooted in daily life.