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Blaouza
بلوزا | |
|---|---|
City | |
  Blaouza Location within Lebanon | |
| Coordinates: 34°15′39″N 35°57′10″E / 34.26083°N 35.95278°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 |
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].
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 Phoenecian, descent.
Most villages in the region have Syriac Aramaic names, and the name Blouza comes from the Syriac 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.