Tripoli (February 20, 2018): Lebanese citizens chanted “Zambo, Zambo, Zambo!”, donned bright, curly wigs and dark body paint for Zambo on Sunday, a festival on the eve of the start of the Orthodox Christian period of Lent.
The origins of the annual celebration remain unclear and it only seems to take place in a seaside suburb of Tripoli, a Muslim-majority city with an Orthodox minority.
But that has never dampened revelers, dozens of whom hopped and danced their way through Tripoli’s streets, glittery hats on their heads and scepters in hand, a day before the beginning of the fast for Eastern-rite Christians.
Lebanon, a country of over four million, is home to 18 religious communities.
An important thing here is that Muslims and Christians often take part in each other’s festive holidays, but no one is quite sure where Zambo came from.
“Zambo is a Greek custom, but it only happens here in Tripoli before our Christian brothers begin Lent,” said Sawalhi, who is Muslim but takes part every year.
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