Lebanese Mexicans

Lebanese Mexicansrefers toMexicancitizens ofLebaneseorigin.
Although Lebanese Mexicans made up less than 5% of the total immigrant population inMexicoduring the 1930s, they constituted half of the immigrant economic activity.
Lebanese influence inMexican culturecan be seen most particularly inMexican cuisine, where they have introduced many foods and dishes and created their own recipes such asal pastor.
Interethnic marriage in the Lebanese community, regardless of religious affiliation, is very high; most have only one parent with Lebanese ethnicity. As a result, some of them speak Arabic fluently. But the majority, especially among younger generations, speakSpanishas first language.
Carlos Slim, formerly the richest man in the world,is an example of Lebanese Mexican success in Mexican society.
Lebanese immigration to Mexico started in the 19th and early 20th centuries.In 1892, the first Lebanese arrived in Mexico fromBeirutin French ships to Mexican ports such asPuerto Progreso,VeracruzandTampico. At that time,Lebanon was not an independent nation; the territory was held by theOttoman Empireand later became aFrench protectorate. Roughly 100,000Arabic-speakerssettled in Mexico during this time period. They settled in significant numbers inYucatán,Veracruz,Puebla,Mexico Cityand the northern part of the country (mainly in the states ofBaja California,Nuevo León,Sinaloa,Chihuahua,Coahuila, andDurango, as well as the city ofTampicoandGuadalajara).
Although Lebanese people made up less than 5% of the total immigrant population in Mexico during the 1930s, they constituted half of the immigrant economic activity.During the1948 Israel-Lebanon warand theSix-Day War, thousands of Lebanese left Lebanon and went to Mexico, first arriving in Veracruz.
Another concentration of Lebanese-Mexicans is in Baja California facing the US–Mexican border, especially in the cities ofMexicaliandTijuanaacross fromSan Diegowith a largeLebanese-Americancommunity (about 280,000), some of whose families have relatives in Mexico.
Theresa Alfaro-Velcamp argues that the Porfiriato era, 1876-1910, promoted immigration from the Middle East. However the revolution of 1910-20 saw a surge inxenophobiaand nationalism based on "mestizaje." The Middle Eastern community divided into the economically prosperous Lebanese Mexicans who took pride in a distinct Lebanese-Mexican identity, while the downscale remainder often merged into the mestizo community.
One Lebanese cultural tradition in Mexico itself is to place colored ribbons to the image of St. Charbel to ask some favor or some miracle (seeIntercession of saints). The tradition arose in the Candelaria Church in Merced in the historic center of Mexico City.
The immigration of Lebanese to Mexico has influenced Mexican culture, in particular food, including introducingkibbehandtabbouleh, and even creating recipes such astacos árabes. By 1765,dates, which originated in North Africa and the Middle East, were introduced into Mexico by the Spaniards. The fusion between Arab and Mexican food has highly influenced theYucatecancuisine.
The majority of Lebanese-Mexicans areChristianswho belong to theMaronite,Roman Catholic,Eastern OrthodoxandMelkite Catholicconfessions. The Lebanese initially practiced Catholicism independently from other Mexicans, but learned to speak Spanish; Lebanese-Mexican children quickly joined the country's mainstream religious activities.
Since the early 1950sLebanese Muslimssettled in Mexico, in southern regions such asChiapas,Oaxaca,Michoacan, andGuadalajara. They were responsible for the opening of the first mosque in Mexico, built in the city ofTorreon, in Coahuila, and namedSuraya Mosque.