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The amazing history of the Christians from the Middle East in Central and South America and Tacos al Pastor!

Reader comment on item: Muslims and Ethnic Arabs in Central and South American Politics
in response to reader comment: Arab politicians in Latin America

Submitted by dhimmi no more, Feb 13, 2019 at 12:21

Dr. Pipes,

Anyone who has been to Mexico must have enjoyed the great food of Mexico and in particular Tacos al Pastor. These tacos are the gift of the Lebanese Christians to Mexican cuisine. It is the Mexican version of Shawarma mixed with wonderful Mexican ingredients. So the lamb becomes pork and the bread instead of being pitta bread it becomes wonderful hand made fresh tacos.

The influence of the Christian Lebanese and their descendants in Mexico is not only limited to food but you will also find it in politics, arts, sports, businesses and literature. They brought with them the best of the Middle East and incorporated what is also wonderful in Mexico. Again they are the descendants of the amazing Phoenicians. May be recent Muslim arrivals in the Americas can learn a lesson or two from those pioneers.

Also the history of immigration of Palestinians Christians from Ottoman Palestine to far away Chile is just amazing. To reach Chile they had to travel via boats to either ports in France or Spain then on to ports in Cuba or Mexico then along the coast of South America to Rio, Brazil then Buenos Aries, Argentina and then crossed the Andes mountains on mules and at last they arrive in Santiago Chile to a hostile reception after all they were regarded as "Turcos" (Turkish). The trip took a few weeks but this did not stop them from migrating to Chile. Now, almost 500,000 Chileans are the descendants of those pioneers. They brought with them hard work, great cuisine and education.

Why did many Christians in the Middle East immigrate to South and Central America? I will leave it to a different post

BTW: Some indeed were misled and instead of ending in the US they ended in South America. However, the "golden door" of the US was not wide open to immigrants from the Middle East. Nonetheless many Lebanese Christians were able to make to the US in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (12) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Ismael Jacinto Haiek: Arab-Islamic anti Semite in Argentina [757 words]Jorge del carmenAug 5, 2020 16:34259843
Regarding Michel Temer [24 words]FabioMay 13, 2016 12:12229449
Arab politicians in Latin America [349 words]PrashantFeb 9, 2019 21:17229449
The amazing history of the Christians from the Middle East in Central and South America and Tacos al Pastor! [333 words]dhimmi no moreFeb 13, 2019 12:21229449
In deed the richest man [51 words]Ugoh SanchezDec 7, 2009 16:21165477
2Are they arabs? [124 words]G.VishvasJul 12, 2007 12:06103515
Arabs in Latin America [29 words]EliasJul 9, 2007 00:56103271
No Number but prediction. [892 words]YnnatchkahJul 21, 2007 13:00103271
1as long as they are not muslims, its fine [47 words]ASJul 8, 2007 16:06103248
1Most of these are Lebanese Maronites who hate Muslims [22 words]JJJul 26, 2007 13:52103248
Poor in Mexico. [284 words]YnnatchkahJul 5, 2007 19:50103055
More Facts [1272 words]Danny brevadoJul 5, 2007 03:15102996

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