Syria’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Syria’s historical heritage was not spared the ravages of the horrific war that has spanned over a decade. Today, Syria’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites stand in a heartbreaking state of
June 26, 2024
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The Levantines on the Titanic The Levantines on the Titanic
With suitcases full of their precious belongings as well as dreams of a better life, over 100 Syrian/Levantine passengers boarded the Titanic. Most of them had all their life savings with them, and one lady even brought yogurt-starter so she could make her Levantine recipes once her family arrived on the new continent.
In the 1997 movie “Titanic”, there was a brief glimpse of an Arabic speaking family and the word “Yalla!”, meaning “come on” or “hurry”, was heard, as an ode to the Levantine passengers, the vast majority of whom were Christians.
A large number of Syrian people immigrated to American countries in the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century, which was due to poverty, political disputes in the region and famine. The Syrian and Lebanese passengers on the Titanic were all labeled Syrian because back then, the concept of Syria and Lebanon as two different states was not yet established.
Not much was told about the Syrian (Today’s Syria and Lebanon) passengers that were forever lost in the sea, and less effort was put into saving their lives. Even with conflicting data about the accurate numbers, it is almost confirmed that dozens drowned or were killed and that 30 (or maybe less) managed to survive.
Arab passengers on the Titanic were mostly 3rd class passengers (with the exception of one man traveling with his employer in 1st class). Their rooms on 3rd class were crowded and they were not top priority when the ship crew started evacuating 1st and 2nd class passengers. Some of them were locked behind metal doors during that procedure and some of those who tried to get to the boats first were shot.
Another dilemma was the misinformation about both survivors’ and victims’ names. The official lists had names that were anglicized and made it harder for the bereaved to get information about their loved ones.
In her 2011 book, Leila Salloum Elias documents the testimony of families and survivors and tries to trace the names provided by western documents. The stories she tells are about those who were locked behind metal doors, separated from a spouse, scared for their babies’ lives, killed amidst the chaos, or even brave enough to face death smiling.
The widow of late Botrous Keoui insisted that her husband was shot dead by the crew. The Tu’mah family from Tebnine managed to get to the boats and reach the US where they had a son who later became the Mayor of Burton, Michigan.
One of the founders of the Joy Cone company was one of the survivors too; Sha’ninah Shahin Yusuf Wihbah.
Nassif Abi Al-Mouna and his Suwaida-born wife survived while two of his family members didn’t. Abi Al-Mouna stated that the ship was like a real life Babel of languages, confusion and chaos.
Moreover, many unnamed and unregistered survivors from Tartus and Latakia kept telling the stories of their families who in turn made it a living oral tradition.
