The Lebanese / Syrians
Though
a relatively small group, the Lebanese, also called Syrians, is a prominent
ethnic group in Jamaica. The year 1891 marks the first arrival of this ethnic
group in Jamaica, and one of, if not, the main cause of their departure from
their native land—Lebanon, Damascus, and Bethlehem (formerly a part of Syria) —
was religious persecution. Britain and her colonies provided a better
alternative as the Lebanese believed that these territories offered great
prosperity.
Different
reasons have been forwarded as to why the Lebanese chose Jamaica as a
destination. Popular views include that of the Great Exhibition of 1891 (held
at the Wolmer’s School in Kingston) sparking their interest in the country. It
is also said that the earliest arrival of Lebanese immigrants was unplanned as
this group disembarked on the island because they did not have knowledge about
where exactly they were going. With Jamaica being a colony of Britain and the
first place where the ship stopped, many decided to stay. Later arrivals, however,
were influenced by the potential prosperity the island could afford them, and
ties of kinship (Tortello, 2003).
In
settling on the island, the Lebanese established themselves as businessmen,
peddling mainly dry goods and clothing. These items were often sold on the
basis of credit which was convenient to buyers. From peddling they were able to
set up successful small business places, especially in the down town area of
Kingston. King, Orange, West Queen, and Harbour were and are still associated
with businesses of people of Lebanese descent. Amars, Josephs and Hanna’s are
just a few of those well known establishments. Lebanese entrepreneurial
relations grew to be a part of the business culture of Jamaica. ‘Quattie a yard
O, Salo’ is one of the folk songs that reflect the Lebanese business relations,
and is an element of the Jamaican heritage.
Today,
not only are Syrians known for their business prowess, but they have played a
significant role in the commercial and industrial development of Jamaica (Senior,
93-94). Popular family names of Lebanese origins includes: Issa, Matalon, Amar,
Mahfood, Hanna, Marzouca, Zacca, Zadie and Haddad. Even one of Jamaica’s former
prime ministers, Edward Seaga, is a Lebanese descendant (Bryan, 10).
Sources
Bryan,
Patrick E. Edward Seaga and
the Challenges of Modern Jamaica 2009.
Ammar,
Nelly. Notes on the Lebanese.
National Library of Jamaica.
Senior,
Olive. A-Z of Jamaican
Heritage. Kingston: Heinemann Educational Books (Caribbean) Limited and
Gleaner Company Limited, 1983.
Sherlock,
Phillip and Hazel Bennett. The
Story of the Jamaican People. Kingston and Princeton: Ian Randle Publishers
and Markus Wiener Publishers, 1998.
Tortello,
Rebecca. The Arrival of the
Lebanese. http://jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0056.htm
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