Shakira
Shakira in 2011, photo by kathclick/bigstock.com
Birth Name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
Place of Birth: Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Date of Birth: February 2, 1977
Ethnicity:
*father – Lebanese
*mother – Colombian, including Italian/Sicilian, Spanish [Castilian], Catalan, possibly other
Sakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and choreographer.
Her father, William Alberto Mebarak Chadid, was born in New York City, New York, U.S., and is of Lebanese descent. Her mother, Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado, is Colombian, born in Arenosa, Colombia. Shakira’s mother’s ancestry includes Italian/Sicilian and Spanish [Castilian], Catalan, as well as possibly other. Shakira has two children, Milan Piqué and Sasha Piqué, with her partner, Catalan Spanish football player Gerard Piqué.
Sakira’s name, Shakira, means “thankful” in Arabic. She uses Turkish-Arabic belly dancing in a lot of her performances.
Shakira’s paternal grandfather was Alberto Mebarak Spath (the son of Moisés Isaac Mebarak and Labibe Spath S.). Alberto was born in Cartagena, Bolívar Dept, Colombia, to Lebanese emigrants, from Beirut and Zahlé, respectively. Moisés was the son of Isaac Mebarak and Marta. Labibe was the daughter of Moisés D. Spath and Marie (or María in Spanish) S.
Shakira’s paternal grandmother was Isabel Chadid Baizer (the daughter of Pedro Chadid Raide and Rosa Baizer Gandur). Isabel was born in Sincelejo, Sucre Dept, Colombia, to Lebanese parents. Pedro was the son of Tannus Shdid, later Antonio Chadid Harb, and of Sade Raide. Pedro moved to Colombia in 1895.
Shakira has said that she has Italian/Sicilian ancestry from her maternal grandmother, whose surname was Pisciotti. She stated this here (from 0:41) and here (from 3:20).
Shakira, Gerard Piqué, and her parents, photo by Prphotos
Sources: BBC article on Shakira’s Lebanese ancestry – http://news.bbc.co.uk
Genealogy of Shakira (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Baptismal record of Shakira’s father – https://familysearch.org
Baptismal record of Shakira’s paternal grandfather, Alberto Mebarak Spath – https://familysearch.org
Confirmation record of Shakira’s paternal grandfather, Alberto Mebarak Spath – http://www.rodriguezuribe.co
Baptismal record of Shakira’s paternal grandmother, Isabel Chadid Baizer – https://familysearch.org
Records of some of Shakira’s father’s family – http://www.rodriguezuribe.co
Interview with Shakira’s father about her mother’s ancestry – http://www.lavanguardia.com
YouTube video about Shakira’s Catalan ancestry – http://www.youtube.com
Moisés was the son of Isaac Mebarak and Marta. Correct Alberto’s mother to Labibe Spath S., and she was the daughter of Moisés D. Spath and Marie (or María in Spanish) S.