Lebanese

Lebanese or people of Lebanese descent

The Lebanese of Mexico

Latin Arabia History, Lebanese 0 Comment

From the article in the previous post, but this time we will concentrate on his points about Mexico

Arabs Making Their Mark in Latin America: Generations of Immigrants in Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico

By Habeeb Salloum.

…

I spoke with Michel Jacabo Eljure, whose father emigrated from the district of Qura, located in present-day Lebanon. He is a retired businessman who owned a ranch in the Yucatán. He spoke Arabic well and was familiar with the history of the Arabs in Mérida. According to him, even though the Lebanese were only 1 percent of the city’s 1.5 million population, they controlled 30 percent of the commercial and industrial establishments. As for religion, he explained that the Lebanese were originally evenly divided between Maronite and Orthodox Christians. Today, they are all Roman Catholics with only about 20 families still practicing the Orthodox rites. From time to time, a priest travels from Mexico City to administer to these few families’ needs.

With the tolerance of peoples to others in mind, I asked Michel, “Why is it that in countries like Canada, multicultural societies are encouraged and here in Mexico it’s total assimilation?” He replied, “Our society is montholitic. We want everyone to be Roman Catholic and speak Spanish. In our community only about 20 people still read Arabic.”

He continued, “As for our food, it’s another matter. Even a great number of the non- Lebanese in Mérida cook in their homes our kubbah, grape leaves and other Arabic foods. At least we contributed some of our heritage to Mexico – now our beloved homeland.”

This essay appeared in Al Jadid, Vol. 6, no. 30 (Winter 2000)

I am not saying Mexico’s way is best, but notice the total assimilation of the Arab community. Notice also that these Lebanese are not commercial and industrial elites.

Fiesta of Lebanese Independence in Uruguay

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Celebrating Lebanese Independence in Downtown Montevideo, Uruguay

The Lebanese are about 2% of the Uruguay’s population, but they have already produced a Vice-President, Alberto Abdala.

Almost all are from Maronite Catholic stock.

Again, as noted, depending on the country, Maronite Catholics are often 45-65% of the Arab ethnic community in Latin American countries. (Chile and Honduras are noteable exceptions)

In Uruguay, Maronites are almost all the Arabs.

Where the Maronites predominate, they are a moderating influence.

When they came to Latin America, because the Maronites are a branch of Roman Catholicism, they fit in well with Catholic Latin America.

When they came to Latin America, some Maronites spoke French, which is a Latin language similar to Spanish and Portuguese making the transition easier.

Historically, Lebanese Maronites have intermarried with the Crusaders, Romans, etc. making them partly European in genetics. They tend to be fairer, and have slightly higher rates of fair eyes than most other Arabs. Outwardly, they could pass for European.

They considered themselves an outpost of Western Civilization in the Mideast. They felt closer to the French than neighboring Arab Muslims.

Maronite Catholics often considered themselves Phoenician not Arab, even though they speak Arabic.

This has caused friction with the Lebanese Muslims who do consider themselves Arabic.

So the Maronite Catholics blended in well with South Americans, and all the other Arabs had to play catch up with them.

They are very moderate concerning Mideast politics. Where they predominate, there will not be much anti-Israel polemics.

In Chile, where Palestinian-Christian predominate among the Arab community, Arab ethnic politics can get ugly.

Lebanese Migration to Brazil

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I do not speak Brazilian Portuguese, but this is a show about Lebanese Migration to Brazil.

Brazil has close to 200 Million people. About 7-10 Million Brazilians are of Lebanese heritage (Click Here)

65% of the Lebanese are Maronite/Roman Catholic.
20% of the Lebanese are Eastern Orthodox Christian
15% are variations of Sunni, Shia, or Druze

However, Arab-Evangelical Churches are springing up in Brazil, and those numbers are changing.

It is not unrealistic to estimate all the Arab-Brazilians (Lebanese, Syrians, Iraqs, etc.) at 15 Million over all. This is roughly 7½% of Brazil’s population.

To get an idea how large that is: Only 6% of America is Italian. Arabs are very common in Brazil. There is a fast food chain called Habib's which is found all over Brazil.

What is clear is that Lebanese Maronites are the premier group among the Lebanese and even overall among the Arabs. What this means is that MOST Arab-Brazilians will be from a Western leaning Community.

Maronites, even though they speak Arabic, have thought of themselves as almost European Westerners, and Western Christian (Catholics) rather than identifying as Arab or Easterners.

This probably explains the moderation among most Arab-Brazilians. The Westernized Maronites set the tone. Compare this to the radicalized Arab-Chileans where Palestinian Christians of Syrian Orthodox extraction set the tone.

Notice the introduction by a Lebanese Maronite Catholic Archbishop. As noted, most Arab immigration to Brazil was Christian. This is changing, but Muslims are still a small minority among the Arab community; and they are facing a very strong Evangelical Revival which is sweeping all of South America, and especially Brazil.

I cannot help with the translation – I have enough problems with Spanish, let alone Portuguese – but those of you who speak Portuguese are free to comment.

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