SANDY FRASER | Youth | CONTACT As Christmas decorations continue popping up left right and centre, it’s apparent we have officially
CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Ear drums were perforating in Western Sydney overnight as fans of the Lebanese national rugby league
SANDY FRASER | Youth | CONTACT A 30 year old straight man in Betoota’s flight path district has seemingly broken the
CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Ear drums were perforating in Western Sydney overnight as fans of the Lebanese national rugby league side took to the streets in pure elation following the Cedars’ golden point victory over the French at Commbank Stadium.
It’s being described as one of the greatest endings to a Rugby League World Cup match in the history of the game, as Lebanon clinched a 24-20 Victory in the final seconds of the sudden death match.
The drumming and chants have not stopped in the Lebanese suburbs of Sydney since the final whistle.
Elsewhere around the world, the Lebanese diaspora have been filmed celebrating in places like Brazil, Nigeria and Colombia.
That’s because beating France means a lot to the Lebanese, because of the historical context.
Specifically the fact that France was the last colonial power to control the Lebanese people before they finally claimed Independence in 1946.
After centuries of Ottoman, Roman and British control, the Lebanese finally achieved independence on the 22nd of November 1943, when national leaders were released from imprisonment after uniting the country against French Mandate rule.
Formal French withdrawal took place in 1946 after the invention of the United Nations at the conclusion of World War Two.
While Lebanon is now a predominantly Arab-speaking Mediterranean nation, the remnants of the French mandate is still visible in that fact that many of elder Lebanese can still recall the French language.
These oral histories that tell the story of the self-determination and the pride of a people have been passed down generation to generation, from the villages of Lebanon to the suburbs of Bankstown, Lakemba and Punchbowl – and wherever else in the world these people have come to call home.
To this day, the people of Lebanon still celebrate their Independence on the 22nd of November. While relations between the two countries remain amicable – they were to never face each other in such a high stakes confrontation on the world stage ever again.
That was until last night at Parramatta Stadium. When the people of Lebanon once again took the opportunity to show France just how proud they are as a people.
Of course all of this was lost on Channel Seven’s Aaron Woods.
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