home> Nationalities in southwest China> Jino Nationality

Consecutive Naming System between Father and Children

During the history of human society, the "consecutive naming system between father and children" is one important mark of the destruction of matriarchy and the establishment of patriarchy. This historical and cultural phenomenon still exists in Jino's present social life.

The Jinos' sense of family name is quite vague, and they generally adopt consecutive naming system between father and children while choosing a name for children, that is, choosing the last pronunciation of father's name as the first pronunciation of children's names, and so on so forth. Names of this family line could serve as an illustration: Jieyou-Youbao-Baojie-Babaojie -Jieyue-Yueba-Basa-Sajie-Jiebaila-Bailayue-Yuezi-бн However, this system at present is not that strict. Names can be consecutive repeatedly (but avoiding the repetition with people alive), and the discontinuance has become a common thing. Reasons for the discontinuance are mainly the following circumstances. The first is child's incurable disease, and then the connection can be broken. The parents will choose another name for the child. If it is an infant, its name will be consecutive with that of the shaman, for it is said that the shaman's name could frighten the devils. But the name is not that of the shaman himself. It is the general name of the shaman-"Bailabao" and the specific repetition is also different from common ways, for it repeats the first two characters of "Bailabao", that is, "Baila". The second circumstance for the discontinuance is that the child's brother or sister had died young before the child's birth. The parents are worried this child will follow its brother or sister, and then will choose to break the connection. In this case, they use "Po" as the first pronunciation of the child's name, such as "Pobai", "Poshe", and so on. They believe the lot of "Po" is hard enough to protect the child to be longevity. The third circumstance occurs when a woman is giving birth and the umbilical cord hangs around child's neck or shoulders, which is considered as a monstrous phenomenon. Consequently, the connection should be broken and the child's name should start with "Sha", e.g., "Shayao" and "Shabao" are both got in this way. The fourth is that the child is born on the road. The child will not repeat his father's name and use "road" ("Ya" in the Jino language) instead. Moreover, if someone from other villages breaks the taboo and walks into the delivery room when the child is born, the connection will be broken then. The child should acknowledge him as nominal father and repeat his name, so as to be protected by this outside power to grow up healthily.


Typical Local Food <<
Holy Wooden Drum >>