Bdadoun

"'Houayek family are the best- Rachelle El-houayek"

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Bdadoun
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native_name =بدادون
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pushpin_map_caption =Location in Lebanon
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subdivision_type1 = Governorate
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subdivision_name2 = Aley District
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Bdadoun ( _ar. 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 habited 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 Adoun. Adonis (Άδωνις) in Greek. Tammuz (تمّوز) in Babylonia. Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) in Hebrew.

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 1500s. The area surrounding Bdadoun remained under Ottoman rule until the end of WWI.

Agriculture

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

The Christian Maronite parish of Bdadoun is part of the Beirut diocese and has four churches: [http://www.rootsweb.com/~lbnwgw/churches.htm]

* 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 Howayek - 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. Supported by Elias Tannous Howayek

* St. Georges (مار جريس)Built on 25 March 1899 with support of the Feghali family. Was renovated in 1988.

Educational Institutions

* Bdadoun Public SchoolFounded in 1921 by Selim Nouhra. It later became a public school.
* Ecole Saint ElieFounded in 1941 by Elias Tannous Howayek who donated the land to Saint Famille Maronite nuns.

Geography

Bdadoun has an area of 143 hectares.

It is 352 meters [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/LE/5/Bdadun.html] to 490 meters [http://www.salhani.com/villages_du_liban_b.htm] 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. [http://www.localiban.org/article.php3?id_article=648] . Kahale and Kfarshima are close by.
Neighbourhoods in Bdadoun are:
* hay bait Jabbour حي بيت جبور
* hay el sakyieh حي الساقية
* al houweir الحوير
* nkbat el dibbaes نقبة الدباس
* el kalaa القلعة
* 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".
* Bdadoun Festival for the Plum Harvest (Mahrajaen el Ganaerik). 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:

* Hawayek (also spelt Howayek, Hoayek, Hoyek, Hwayyik)
* Feghali (also spelt Feghaly, Fghali) [http://www.angelfire.com/tx/feghali/fahdfegh.html]
* Merheb (also spelt Merib)
* Daow (also spelt Daou, Daw, Dao)
* Moubarak (also spelt Mubarak)
* Abi Khalil
* Semaan (Simon)
* Shayaa (also spelt Shaya)
* Aoun [http://www.maronite-heritage.com/html/aoun.html]
* Chamoun (also spelt Shamoun) (Arabic: شمعون, "Sham'ūn")
* Murad (also spelt Mourad) (theories exist of the linkage with the Murad Ottoman sultans)
* Chidiak (also spelt Shidiak, Shedyak)
* Badawi
* Abou Rouphel

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.

[* Nassib Sejaan El Hoayek auditor & fiscal consultant, lacpa member] =Notable Persons=

* Asaad el Feghali, poet (aka “Blackbird of the Valley”). There is a sculpture of him at the entrance of the village.
* Gebran Khalil Hoyek, judge (1919-1991). Was a judge for 40 years and 21 years as president of the Baalbek-Hermel court of justice, Member of the supreme court of justice-awarded with the Comodore National Cedars Medal وسام الارز الوطني من رتبة كومودور from the President of the Lebanese Republic . President of the Hoyek Family society.
* Sabeh Najib Hoyek, Historian and Poet (1907-1991)
* Saade I. Merheb, current Civil Registrar/Recorder of Bdadoun
* Habib Youssef Hawayek, Mayor of Bdadoun
* Michel Abdelnour Hawayek, Mayor of Bdadoun
* Khalil Saeed Asaad Hawayek (1892-1977), "born in Bdadoun, The Grand Master of The Grand Masonic Lodge in Puerto Rico and U.S
* Antoine Chafic Abourouphael, specialist in cosmetic dentistry.
* Halim (Bill) Chibli Feghali relevant figure of Democratic party in Oklahoma USA.
* Chafic Saad Hoyek (1928-1999) served as mayor for several years. One of the many projects that were completed during his tenure is the building of the current municipality office center (Town Hall).
* Sabah Feghali

ee also

For origins of the name Adoun, see also:Jupiter-Bacchus, Venus and Mercury, correspond to Baal, Ishtar and Adoun in Phoenician. [http://atlantides.free.fr/dmr/02f.htm]