From: nmouawad@waterloo.edu (Naji Mouawad)
Subject: Re: I am a phoenician! (was: Re: Arab identity)
Organization: University of Waterloo
	<1992Apr13.165921.366@ulrik.uio.no>
	<1992Apr14.125859.3815@iscsvax.uni.edu>
	<1992Apr14.200206.12751@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 02:48:14 GMT


Khaled,

 I read your reply with great interest. While I do aggree with you
that the reference to the phoenicians can (I stree "can") be used as a
counter-argument against the "Arabic" argument (and if this is the
case what is wrong with that ?) there is much more to this argument
than that.


 First and foremost, I do not claim that I am "biogically"
descendant of the Phoenicians nor for that matter of any other
well-defined group. Given Lebannon's history and the colorful invaders
which marched into it there is no point in making such a claim, nor do
I feel compelled to make it.

 Having said that that let me point out some of the "cultural trait" which
Phoenicians and Lebanese share in a rather strong and stricking
fashion:

1. Religion. Phoenicea was a religious land. From Byblos to Tyr from
Sidon to Baalbak you can find religious landmarks which were important
locally and "internationally". For instance, the greatest Roman
constructions in terms of temples outside of Italy (and possibly Rome)
are not in Egypt (which could have been more intersting) but in
Baalbek. Baal bek: house of Baal. Baalbek is today again the host of a
strong religious movemement. It has been throughout history.

 Europe is a Phoenician goodess, Ashtarout and Adonis were celebrated
in the entier region, Alexander wanted to enter Tyr to worship...

 I could go on and on...

 
Modern Lebanon is not very different: it is the mansion of many
religion. Religion is a very important driving force in Lebanon today
as it was for the past 6000 years.


2. Education.

  Tha alphabet was _ if not invented _ at least marketed in Byblos.
Byblos is the greek word and stands for Book. Phoenicians were
intersted by the alphabet. While Egyptians, Summerians and Persian
constructed empires and left us with rubbles, Phoenicians gave us the
Alphabet. 

 Lebanon before the war was publishing more books, newspapers,
magazines articles and what not than all of the other countries of the
Middle-East. We also know how much education is important to the
Lebanese.

Notice, I do not imply that education is ONLY important to Lebanese,
far from it, I only say that it is important to Lebanese.

3. Business: Do I need to elaborate ?


What I am guetting at is this: When I stand on the mountain-tops of
Lebanon, I see a land which links me to people who lived and thrived
on it 6000 years ago. By the way did you know that Jbeil (to give
Byblos its current name) is the second oldest city which was
continuously inhabited and which still is ? The oldest being Beijin.

I have, I feel, much more in common with all those who lived and loved
this land than I have with invaders, would that be Persians
summerians, Arabs, Crusaders, Turks, or whom ever else thought of
imposing his own will on the people of the land. Phoenicians are one
of them. I am not a Phoenician, not because I am an Arab ! I am
Lebanese, and Lebanon today is under an Arab influence. I do not
believe that this influence will last forever. It will one day wither
away, and its remnants will be incorporated within the culture of
Lebanon. That is how I perceive it. 

I hope I have at least help to explain how one may feel close to
Phoenicians while being a rational being :)

naji.
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    | Naji Mouawad  |          nmouawad@watmath.waterloo.edu            |
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