From Grits to Chopsticks

Spread across Yunnan Province are 26 different minority people groups, each with their own culture and language.  To give visitors more understanding of these unique minorities, Kunming has provided a “minority village” on the south side of town.  Each group was invited to design their own miniature community and showcase what they consider to be important.

The small villages show specific elements of how their people live, work, and worship.  The houses are unique to the landscape and weather patterns.  Examples include the standard square stucco house of the Bai people:The thatched roof houses of the BuLang people:

the lodge home of the Hani:

and the round tent-houses of the Mongolians:

Inside the houses are typical kitchens, living, and sleeping spots: Many of the villages hold a daily performance of their traditional songs and dances.  We arrived at the BuLang village when they were performing:

The minority clothing is brightly colored and beautiful.  Here is Susan posing with a JingPo girl:Susan then switched roles and donned a Miao costume:The surrounding environment is a peaceful place for a Sunday afternoon outing.  The cliffs of Western Hills and dragon boats reflect off of the surrounding waters:Wherever you travel around the world, you will always find that people recognize the existence of God.  And in the Yunnan Minority Villages, you will see that every group chose to include a sample of their religious practices, mostly forms of Buddhism or other attempts to fend off evil spirits: An interesting contrast is found in the Miao village: