Bushnak

Bushnak (Arabic: بشناق, meaning "Bosnian", also transliterated Bushnaq, Boshnak, Bouchenak and Bouchnak) is a surname common among Levantines and Saudis (Hejazis) of Bosnian Muslim origin.[1][2] Those sharing this surname are the descendants of Bosnian Muslims apprehensive of living under Christian rule after the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, who immigrated to Ottoman Syria.

Bushnaks
The mosque in Caesarea, Israel
Regions with significant populations
Syria, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Bosniaks in Turkey
Bosniaks in Syria

While not originally from one family, most Bosnian Muslims who immigrated to the Levant adopted Bushnak as a common surname, attesting to their origins.[1]

History

Some Bosnian movement to Palestine occurred when Bosnian Muslim soldiers were brought to Palestine in the late 1800s to provide reinforcements for the Ottoman army.[1]

More substantial movement occurred after 1878, when the Austro-Hungarian empire, ruled by the House of Habsburg, occupied Bosnia. Bosnian Muslim emigration continued through this period, escalating after the Austro-Hungarian's 1908 annexation of Bosnia. Many immigrated to parts of what is now modern Turkey, while a smaller number settled in Ottoman Syria (modern Syria, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan).

Bosnian immigrants settled predominantly in villages in the parts of the present day West Bank and Israel: Caesarea, Yanun, Nablus and Tulkarem. Their descendants still live in these villages, their Bosnian heritage reflected in the Arab surname of Bushnak.[1][2]

Notable people bearing the surname

Bushnak

Bushnaq
  • Ali Bushnaq, Palestinian Mount Everest climber
  • Alia Bushnaq (born 2000), Jordanian athlete
  • Suzan Bushnaq (born 1963), Kuwaiti painter, daughter of Mohammed Bushnaq
  • Suad Bushnaq (born 1982), Jordanian-Canadian film composer
  • Mohammed Bushnaq (1934-2017), Palestinian artist (painter and sculptor)

Bouchnak
  • Lotfi Bouchnak (born 1952), Tunisian singer
  • Hamid Bouchnak (born 1969), Moroccan raï singer

Boushnak
  • Laura Boushnak (born 1976), Kuwaiti-born Palestinian photographer

See also

Notes and references
  1. Amira Hass (25 October 2002). "It's the pits". Original in Haaretz, reprinted by Ta'ayush. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  2. Ibrahim al-Marashi. "The Arab Bosnians?: The Middle East and the Security of the Balkans" (PDF). p. 4. Retrieved 2008-11-12.

Bibliography
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.