Jino

The jino or jinuo (Chinese: 基诺族; pinyin: Jīnuò zú) are one of the 56 ethnic minorities officially recognized by the government of the People's Republic of China. Its population, of about 22,000 people, is concentrated in the province of Yunnan. In the Jino language, the name comes from the terms "ji" (uncle) and "nuo" (descendants), so his name means "descendants of uncle".

Language

The Jino speak their own language, which belongs to the Tibeto-Burmese language branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It has a vocabulary very similar to the Yi language. All jino are capable of speaking their language.

Jino does not have a system of signs that allow it to be written. Currently, the most widely used language among the Jino is Mandarin.

History

It is not known for sure what is the origin of this ethnic group since there are different versions. Some claim that the Jino are descendants of the primitive Qiang.

There are also various legends about its origin. One of them explains that the first Jino came from the northern lands of Yunnan. The first settler of these new lands was a widow, named Jiezhuo, mother of seven sons and seven daughters who ended up marrying each other. The family grew and gave rise to the current ethnic group of the Jino.

Culture

The houses in this town are usually built of bamboo or wood and are large. The Jino tradition indicates that families that share the same last name also share a home, so these houses are prepared to house between 10 and 20 families.

These houses are divided into two floors: the first is for storage and stables and the second for the house itself. The inhabited area is divided into exterior and interior rooms. The interior area is used for bedrooms while the exterior contains a kitchen, a dining room and a room where the inhabitants of the house meet. In the center of this room is a large fire that simultaneously functions as lighting and heating.

Jino are monogamous although they are allowed to have sexual relations freely before marriage. In some villages, there are houses built especially for couples who have sexual contact without being married. Once married, the couple remains faithful. Divorce exists although it is not a common practice.

Religion

The jino are animists and profess a special worship towards the spirits of their ancestors. They believe that everything in this world has a soul and that respect for the spirits of their ancestors will grant them well-being in their daily lives.

Shamans play a major role in the daily life of the jino. They are in charge of making sacrifices to the gods every time an unexpected event occurs. In addition, they are in charge of administering the medicinal herbs to cure the diseases of the town.