Blaouza

Blaouza (Arabic: 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,[1] and the village lies at an altitude of 1,320 metres above sea level.[2]

Blaouza بلوزا
Village
View from the village towards the southeast
Blaouza Location within Lebanon
Coordinates: 34°15′39″N 35°57′10″E
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	North Governorate
District	Bsharri District
Elevation	1,320 m (4,330 ft)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Dialing code	+961

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".[3] 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),[4] Maronite Patriarch 1704-1705

See also

• Bsharri District
• Kadisha Valley
• Maronites
• Lebanon

References

1. Association for Forest Development and Conservation (Lebanon) Archived January 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
2. Localiban
3. Blawza, Mayors' League of Becharre Region Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
4. Gabriel de Blawza

External links

• Australian Blouza Association