Bdadoun

Bdadoun بدادون
Bdadoun Location in Lebanon
Coordinates: 33°48′36″N 35°33′40″E
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Mount Lebanon Governorate
District	Aley District
Elevation	1,608 ft (490 m)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)

Bdadoun (Arabic: بدادون‎) (also Bdadun, Bde`doun, Bde‘doun, Bdādūn, Bdādūn, Bde‘doun, Bde`doun, Bidadun, Bidadūn) is a town in Mount Lebanon which makes up one of the 70 towns and villages in the district of Aley (a District, is also a Quadaa, or Caza). It has an estimated population of 3000. It is 490 meters above sea level and 15 kilometres from the capital Beirut. It is both a Summer holiday location as well as being inhabited during the Winter months. It has proximity to the capital of Lebanon, Beirut.

Etymology

The name Bdadoun derives from the Phoenician language. Bd-Adoun (بِد-اَدون ) Beit Adoun, or House of Adoun the Canaanite god of the sun Adoun. Adonis (Άδωνις) in Greek. Tammuz (تمّوز) in Babylonia. Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) in Hebrew, or Uncle small house (Arabic: بيت العمّ الصغير) (Beit El Aam Saghir)

History

In the year 1144, fighting erupted between the Christians in the North Lebanon regions of Jbeil and Keserwan districts. The king Barquq (الملك الظاهر برقوق) took the opportunity and ordered an invasion of that Christian dominated area. The result was a refugee exodus southward, that settled in the Chouf District. This region (especially the areas surrounding Beirut) was ruled by the Tannoukhi dynasty (التنوخيّون). The Tanukhs (also called Buhturs) where the Druze hereditary lords of the Gharb (area surrounding Beirut). The Buhturs were replaced by the Ma'ans when the Ottomans conquered in the early 16th century. The area surrounding Bdadoun remained under Ottoman rule until the end of WWI.

Agriculture

Ganerik.

The first settlers of Bdadoun came from the North Lebanon Maronite families as peasants. They found an uninviting land made of mostly rocky landscape strewn with oaks, wild figs, vines and some olive-trees. The settlers built stone terraces planted fruit trees such as apricot, almond, pear, apple, pomegranates and plum. It is the latter, that Bdadoun is mostly known for Ganerik plums (Turkish: Erik, or Can Erik. Arabic: ثَمَر أو شَجَر البَرقوق ) and holds an annual harvest festival in May. This plum is believed to be a close relative of the Greengage.
This is not to be mistaken with the Chinese Plum or Loquat which is also grown in Bdadoun and called Akkidinya or Akkadeneh. (Arabic: اككي دني. Turkish: yeni dunya, yedi dunya)

Religion

St Elias (Maar Elias el Hayy)

The Christian Maronite parish of Bdadoun is part of the Beirut diocese and has four churches: [1]

• St. Georges (مار جريس)

Built on 25 March 1899 with support of the Feghali family. Was renovated in 1988 by Mr John Ibrahim Hanna Al FEGHALY.

• Notre Dame de Bdadoun (السيدة)

Our Lady of Bdadoun church is known to have been built as a dwelling first in the 17th century. It has been rebuilt many times since, last time being in 1870 after the 1860s civil strife in Mount Lebanon.

• St. Antoine (مار انطونيوس)

Current belief is that it was established as a church in 1903 and was supported by the Abi Roufayel family. The church steeple was erected in 1938.

• St. Elie (مار الياس الحي)

First mass is known to have been held there on 26 December 1909. It was renovated in 1923.

Educational institutions

• Bdadoun Public School

Founded in 1921 by Selim Nouhra. It later became a public school.

• Ecole Saint Elie

Founded in 1941 by Elias Tannous who donated the land to Saint Famille Maronite nuns.

Geography

Bdadoun has an area of 143 hectares.

It is 352 meters [2] to 550 meters [3] above sea level and 15 km from Beirut.
Latitude 33.8100 Longitude 35.5611
Lat (DMS) 33° 48' 36N Long (DMS) 35° 33' 40E
Time zone (est) UTC+2(+3DT)

Bdadoun's bordering towns are Blaybel, Houmal, Wadi Chahrour, Aaytat, Bsous and Qmatiyeh. [4]. Kahale and Kfarshima are close by.
Neighbourhoods in Bdadoun are:

• mar gergess حي مار جرجس
• al3ayn حارةالعين http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO5M3_3n2Kc
• hay bait Jabbour حي بيت جبور
• hay el sakyieh حي الساقية
• al houweir الحوير
• nkbat el dibbaes نقبة الدباس
• el kalaa القلعة http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSY76HF13fY
• New Kalaa نيو قلعة
• haret badran حارة بدران
• al hirish الحرش
• al hara الحارة
• naher el akhwat نهر الاخوت
• mafraq el nabeh مفرق النبع
• al solouk
• al fashlaa الفشلى
• roumieh
• jal el mard جل المرد
• haret shalhoub حارة شلهوب
• karm el kaneeseh
• khalf el hara
• al shahharaa
• haret bayt el khoury
• haret bayt nouhra
• al nijmeh
• al tiyyar
• ain el teeneh
• al dabsheh
• al jneyneh
• sheer maayqil
• horsh Abou Sakr
• al qasheh.

Arts and Entertainment

• Folklore singer Zaghloul, known mostly for his Zajal style of songs recorded in "Haflit Bdadoun" made by AL FEGHALI Family.
• Bdadoun Festival for the Plum Harvest (Mahrajaen el Ganaerik) made by al cha3li. A parade day followed by a night of singing and dancing. Major Lebanese folklore singers have been guests to this festival every year.

Notable Families

Families who have roots in Bdadoun are:

• Feghali (also spelled Feghaly) [5]
• Semaan (Simon)
• Daou (also spelled Daow, Daw, Dao)
• Moubarak (also spelled Mubarak)
• Abi Khalil
• Shayaa (also spelled Shaya)
• Aoun [6]
• Chamoun (also spelled Shamoun) (Arabic: شمعون, Sham'ūn)
• Merheb
• Murad (also spelled Mourad) (theories exist of the linkage with the Murad Ottoman sultans)
• Chidiak (also spelled Shidiak, Shedyak)
• Badawi
• Bou Rouphael
• Hawayek (also spelled Hoayek, Hoyek)

Emigration

Like most other Lebanese towns, a large proportion of people from Bdadoun emigrated to different places around the world. There are people from Bdadoun who permanently live in the United States of America, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and elsewhere. The pull factors for emigration were mostly:

• Higher incomes
• better availability of employment
• better medical facilities
• better education facilities
• political stability.

Notable Persons

Asaad Feghali.

• Asaad el Feghali (father of Mr Nabil Al Feghali) poet (aka “Blackbird of the Valley”). There is a sculpture of him at the entrance of the village.
• Sabah (Singer) aka. Janet Georges Feghali http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orDelUB7_DQ
• Halim (Bill) Chibli Feghali relevant figure of Democratic party in Oklahoma USA.