Argentina is a very large country on the southeast of South America, running from the polar south to the tropical north. The population is very European in ancestry, with roughly half being pure-European in background, and another large section being mostly European in background.
It has a large Arab population (9±%), but which is intermarried and assimilated into the country’s larger demographic This is because it is heavily Maronite (Catholic) Lebanese who assimilate well.
Interestingly, Argentina has around 180,000 Jews – the seventh largest Jewish population in the world – and they can be politically active.
Not Just Chilestinians, but many leftists in Argentina are protesting against Israeli actions during this Gaza War.
Points to remember:
1) Unlike Chile – or most of Latin America, for that matter – Argentina has had a large and influential Jewish community.
2) Most Arabs in Argentina are Syrian- or Lebanese-Christians. Palestinian Arabs among them are a minority. Most Arab-Argentines are Christian.
3) Argentina is on the other side of the world, so it is late autumn there.
4) Unlike Chile, Palestinians are not very influential in Chile. However, leftists are influential. Hence, they are protesting against Israel, but for different reasons that the Chilestinos. For the Chilestinos, it is a matter of heritage and family. Not so for most Argentines.
Arab culture in Latin America has produced a wealth of music. The most well-known musician was Mario Kirlis, an Argentine composer, band leader whose fame has spread world-wide. Oddly, though an admirer of Arab music, Mario Kirlis was not himself of Arab ancestry, but rather the son of Greek immigrants to Argentina.
He is probably most famous for what is called bellydance music. Yet, a lot of his tunes are much more than that.
I want you to listen to the tune Awal Suhur (morning meal before the daytime fast of Ramadan), on the top video.
Just close your eyes. This music is truly beautiful, above and apart from the women who might dance to it.
Mario Kirlis was the [chief] exponent of Arabic music in Latin America. His music is heard in Chile, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico, countries that he had already visited and had had an excellent reception from the public.
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, he is the son of Nicolás Kirlis, a Greek violinist who was one of the first exponents of Arabic music in Argentina. At the age of 7 he began to study piano, harmony, counterpoint and composition.
He carried out in-depth research on Arabic music, with musicians who emigrated from the Middle East and arrived in Argentina.
…
He was famous and had performed all over Latin America and the Arab world. He had even performed in China.
Mario Kirlis: Lat Jaf
Posted on YouTube: December 5, 2019
Of course, there is a lot more Latin Arab music in South America than just Mario Kirlis, but as he was world famous, and a maestro, I figured that I should give you the best.
February 14, 2024 – Corrected an ambiguity. Kirlis passed away in 2023.
Cumbia is a popular form of music throughout Latin America.
This video is clearly political, by the Orkestra Popular San Bomba (Holy Music Popular Orchestra).
Orkestra Popular literally means Popular Orchesta, but in actuality would mean something like Pop Music or Street Music.
Bomba literally means bomb, but has so many meanings that it is impossible to translate apart from context. In this context, it probably means music. Bomba is a type of MUSIC.
San means holy.
The group’s name is clearly farcical and idiomatic.
Again, one must remember that in Latin America there is no equivalent of AIPAC, so the Palestinian viewpoint is more mainstream. The chief exception is Brazil, which has a very large pro-Israel Evangelical community. But this video comes from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The video is in Arabic, but what is clear is that Arabs still seek to go to South America (this video concerns Argentina).
The difference with the past is that former Arab immigrants to South America tended to be Christian. Now, they tend to be Muslim.
In the past, when the Catholic Church was stronger, the occasional Muslim immigrant would not have been much of a problem, as there was social pressure to convert. Those Muslims who went to South America in the past ended up either converting or intermarrying – with the result that their children were baptized Catholic.
Today, in some countries – such as Chile and Brazil – the Evangelical Christian community is so powerful and growing that the function of conversion would be handled by Evangelicals. The effect would be the same: The children of Muslims would become Christian.
So Muslim immigrants would not pose much of a danger to South American culture … provided that there is NOT too many of them.
My own opinion is that South America could easily handle a pulse immigration of Arabs if the numbers are kept within reason – that is to say, kept under 1% of the population, and not allowed to concentrate in Islamic barrios. One would want to avoid creating heavily Arabizedbanlieues [neighborhoods] as is seen in France. Such concentrations prevent assimilation.
While the situation in France is worrisome, one must remember that France is about 8% Muslim, while I am suggesting that Muslims be kept only around 1% in any Latin American country, and not be allowed to concentrate in neighborhoods. If the immigrants are spread out, the children of Muslim immigrants would quickly assimilate. This has been the case in Latin America. Arabs are Latinized quickly.
Now, Argentina is “officially” roughly 1% Muslim already, but the numbers are exaggerated. In reality, very few are practicing Muslims. So a decent number of Arabs could be allowed in, as long as the stress is placed on assimilation.
(The video is set to the right time.) This imam admits that the official figure
of half a million Muslims in Argentina is ridiculous.
Argentina assimilates/converts Muslims very well.
Posted on YouTube: September 22, 2015
From the late 19th century and early 20th century, there should be about half a million Muslims in Argentina. But now there is not even five to seven thousand Muslims who call themselves Muslim.
WOW! DID YOU HEAR THAT? LATIN AMERICA CONVERTS MUSLIMS.
So, despite the official figures, in reality, Islam in Argentina all but died out. That is how successful Argentine assimilation was. Yes, there are looney converts to Islam, but they are insignificant. While Argentina claims a half-million Muslims, 99% of them either converted to Christianity or are totally non-practicing Muslims.
If you want to see who really is making converts in Argentina, look to Evangelical Christians. Evangelicals are now 15% of the population and growing rapidly.
In fact, in Argentina, as is shown in a 2015 survey (see page 16), at that time, there were 2,200 converts to Protestant Christianity from Islam. That imam is in for a shock. He won’t make too many converts, but a lot of Muslims may become Evangelical.
Islam has no answer to street preaching.
Rather and instead, any newer Muslim immigrants to Argentina would be assisted by a lot of Christian-Arab-Latinos who have been in South America for generations, and who have assimilated successfully.
The story of Graciela [also known as Grace] Spinelli is typical.
When she was 15 watching TV and asking about the Muslim call for prayer, Argentinian Graciela discovered her Arab, Lebanese and Muslim roots.
Years later, she decides to return to Lebanon in search of her great grandfather’s family tree, reconnecting with her lost ancestors and a land she ignores but still belongs to.
[My note:After the trip to Lebanon, Graciela returned to Argentina, and became an actress and producer in Latin movies, sometimes under the name of Grace.]
Of course, Graciela’s family tree also included some Italian, Spanish, and Irish, to the point where she had no idea that her great-grandfather had been a Lebanese Muslim. Below is a documentary (a shortened version) of her discovery.
A shortened version of a documentary about a Catholic Argentine woman
was shocked to find out that one of her ancestors was a Muslim.
Graciela Spinelli’s family was all too typical. Her great-grandfather, a Lebanese Muslim, married a Catholic Argentine woman. So Graciela Spinelli’s great-grandmother had the children baptized Catholic, behind her husband’s back (set to right time in video). Graciela had to find this out from her great aunt.
The children of Muslims integrated and Christianized successfully in South America. In Graciela’s case, all too successfully, because she had no idea of who was in her family tree.
While, I am not advocating that anyone forget their ancestors, the documentary does show that the children of Arab Muslims can be well integrated in Latin America.
New Arab Muslim immigrants would interface with these earlier Christian-Arab-Latinos, and would discover the wisdom of embracing the dominant Christian culture.
The Hogar Árabe Argentino de Berisso [Argentine-Arab Home of Berisso] is an Arab Cultural Society in Berisso (a suburb of Buenos Aires), and is a shining example. It is 100 year old, and helps Arabs in Argentina assimilate, while maintaining pride in their heritage.
The chief difference with the past is that a century ago the Muslim children became Catholic. Today, they might become Bautista (Baptist) or Pentecostalista (Pentecostal).
However, preference should be given to Palestinian immigrants, so as to quiet down the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Perhaps Argentina could be persuaded to take in some of those Palestinians … and who knows … maybe they could be directed to an iglesia bautista (Baptist Church).
