One thread of Newfoundland diaspora

We're proofing our first pdf of the Summer Issue today, a holiday for many - though not for MUN students (they were surprised, too). And we have a happy problem - too much material. While our designer genius (Granite Studios) works some magic with placement, here's the gist of one piece that may be living here (it's all about the multi-platform these days, isn't it?): The Lebanese emigrated to Newfoundland between 1890 and 1914. They became one of the two most visible

minority groups – the other being the Chinese. Lebanese was a bit of an umbrella terms, as it included Syrians, but these were mainly Maronite Christians from Mount Lebanon (Lebanon being founded in 1920). They were feeling the religious strife of the last days of the Ottoman Empire – so many left that the population of Mount Lebanon dropped by one quarter during this time. They came mainly from Hadeth El-Joubbeh, Baalbek, and Beirut. Many went to the eastern United States and Canada, as well as Brazil and Argentina. The chain of emigration that brought them to Newfoundland often started in New York and went through Montreal or Nova Scotia, then across the Strait. They often started work as pack-peddlers, then saved cash to start up more mainstream firms, across a spectrum of commerce – fishing supplies, hotels, dry goods and readymades, and, famously, the Majestic Theatre in Corner Brook, while Anthony Tooton acquired the rights for the Kodak franchise from George Eastman. Businesses were linked by family ties and families also intermarried, in fact it was not uncommon for two brothers to marry two sisters. They had political influence as well, for example Michael Basha became a senator, and Fonse Faour NL’s first federal NDP representative. The Lebanese faced some prejudice, for example being dubbed “tally-man”, a derogatory term implying a swarthy Mediterranean (Italian). But they assimilated quickly. They worshipped as Roman Catholics, and boys often boarded at St. Bon’s. The Arabic language was largely lost within three generations, the only words remaining are largely associated with food – kibbeh, kouskous – and some endearments, and the odd profanity. There are over fifty family names associated with the Lebanese, largely in St. John’s (with many settling on the North side of New Gower Street) and Bell Island, Windsor and Grand Falls, and the Bay of Islands from Curling to Norris Arm. In these places families named Basha, Noah, Moakler and Suffidy lived and worked. Some anglicized their names, as Suliman became Solo, El Teen Alteen, and Karbaj, Carbage. Others took their father’s name as surname – Noah, Michael, David, Joseph. Sometimes an official seemed to rename a whole family: Gaultois. Others were place names mistaken for family names – Duma (which is near Baalbek) – and further misspelled – Tuma. Much of the Lebanese culture faded, but the cuisine remains – eggplant, flatbread, yoghurt, black olive salad, lamb – and, especially, hummus and tahini on Good Friday. (Image: www.heritage.nf.ca.)