"It is often said that Lebanon is made up of a number of small villages. The Lebanese have even given the village a special name, "dhay3a". Where almost every Lebanese lives in Beirut but they come from a "dhay3a". Even when these Lebanese left to Beirut, they have always maintained a second house in the village. A second house where they spend their weekends and the kids spend their summers away from school.
For these reasons, it is hard to find a Lebanese that does not hold childhood, or even adult, memories of his little village. And for the same reasons above, the village has many of the contradictions of a modern life style along side some preserved old fashion way of life.
Below are some postcards representing those simple things that serve as memories for the city migrants.
These postcards appeared in a series carrying the title "lubnan al-Hanin". They were photographed by M. Maaiki and Thierry Van Biesen, and published by al-Ghimar, Hazmieh. Eventhough the postcards carry no dates, they appear to have been taken in 1990-1992. These cards were bought in the summer of 1992 from "The Star Stationary" in Hamra, Beirut. The front side of the cards was scanned in full color. However, the comments on the back of the postcards appear below in exactly the same wording as they appeared on the cards, in english, arabic, and french, respectively. Following which, some comments of my own are added for clarification."
To Beirut-peace to Beirut with all my heart, And kisses- to the sea and clouds, To the rock of a city that looks like an old sailor's face. >From the soul of her people she makes wine, >From their sweat, she makes bread and jasmine. So how did it come to taste of smoke and fire?.
"These are parts of a song by Fairuz, also refered to by the lebanese as "our embassador to the stars". She sings it to the warmth of the music of "Concierto de Aranjuez" of the twentieth century spanish composer Rodrigo. The poem was written by Joseph Harb.
Below are a few postcards of the remnants of what was once refered to as the "the jewel of the middle east". Seventeen years of civil war turned that jewel into what's illustrated in these pictures.
These postcards appeared in a series carrying the title "lubnan al-Hanin". They were photographed by M. Maaiki and Thierry Van Biesen, and published by al-Ghimar, Hazmieh. Eventhough the postcards carry no dates, they appear to have been taken in 1990-1992. These cards were bought in the summer of 1992 from "The Star Stationary" in Hamra, Beirut. The front side of the cards was scanned in full color. However, the comments on the back of the postcards appear below in exactly the same wording as they appeared on the cards, in english, arabic, and french, respectively. Following which, some comments of my own are added for clarification."
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