Blaouza

Infobox City Lebanon
official_name = Blaouza
native_name = بلوزا


image_size =
image_caption =
governorate = North Governorate
district = Bsharri District
lat_deg = 34
lat_min = 15
lat_sec = 39
lat_hem = N
lon_deg = 35
lon_min = 57
lon_sec = 10
lon_hem = E
elevation_m = 1320
mapx = 34.2608
mapy = 35.9528

Blaouza ( _ar. بلوزا, also spelt "Blawza" and "Blouza"), is a Maronite Christian village in the Bsharri District of the North Governorate of Lebanon. The population is approximately 3,000 [ [http://www.afdc.org.lb/pages-HTML/AFDC%20PROGRAMMES/centre-forest-fighting-ECLife-Project-Workshop.htm Association for Forest Development and Conservation (Lebanon)] ] , and the village lies at an altitude of 1,320 metres above sea level [ [http://www.localiban.org/article.php3?id_article=952 Localiban] ] .

The Village and its History

Blaouza lies in the Qannoubine Valley region of the Qadisha Valley, an area settled 1,000-1,300 years ago by Maronite refugees fleeing persecution in the remote mountains of Lebanon and Syria. In their isolation, the communities of the Qadisha Valley preserved their religion, customs and language until the modern era. Unlike most Maronites in Lebanon, residents of Blaouza (and the Qadisha Valley in general) claim to be of Aramean, rather than Phoenician, descent.

Most villages in the region have Aramaic names, and the name Blaouza comes from the Aramaic for "almond plains" [ [http://becharreregion.com/blawza.htm Blawza, Mayors' League of Becharre Region] ] . Until the early 20th century, most villagers were Aramaic-speakers, and as a result, Blaouza natives speak Arabic with a distinct accent. This is also true of many of the Maronite villages of the region.

Famous Residents

* Gabriel of Blaouza ("born circa 1625") [ [http://maronitesvictoria.org/antoninemonks.html Gabriel de Blawza] ] , Maronite Patriarch 1704-1705.

References

ee also

* Bsharri District
* Kadisha Valley
* Maronites
* Lebanon

External links

* [http://www.blouza.com/ Australian Blouza Association]