“I will take thee to a place that has been blessed, above the mountains, where you shall be free shepherds with flocks scattered in the whole wide world…” This was the prophecy of Sinna - goddess of the mountains - to the Romanians banished by the Saxon colonists from the village of Gârbova. They followed her and named the new settlement Sinna (Jina) as a sign of gratitude. Jina is a prosperous shepherds’ village on top of the mountains, above all the other villages from Mărginime.
As time went by, the locals from Jina fought for their freedom. Nevertheless, for one hundred years Jina was turned into a border village which defended the border between the Austrian Empire and Wallachia. Its inhabitants - the black soldiers - even took part at the Austerlitz battles against Napoleon.
Nowadays most of the population, women as well as men, deal with shepherding. The shepherdesses are true masters at turning milk into unparalleled delicacies: burduf cheese, jintiţa, urda or balmuş. As you come close the sheepfolds you can feel the smell of cheese and milk and of the cast-iron pots boiling with polenta and mutton jelly.
At Jina each season has its charm… and summer in particular when at the end of June the locals are celebrating “High Up on the Jina Mountain”. This is a folk festival which brings together the entire village and reminds us of the old country feasts when shepherds would descend around the village and celebrate, dance, sell and buy, fall in love and get married.
“The Commands Custom” is still kept in Jina. On Sunday, after the religious service, the locals get together in front of the Town Hall. Then the mayor announces the plans for the future and the news from the village. This is a unique opportunity to know the village as it is.
At the ethnographic museum of the Morariu family you will find an ancient collection, a welcoming host and a story of the pastoral civilization.
However, nothing can compare to a hike in the surroundings of Jina. You will be fascinated by the picturesque mountain scenery and also by natural monuments from Cindrel Mountains such as “Pintenii din Coasta Jinei”, “La Grumaji” or “Masa Uriaşului”.
Did you know...?
In October 1935, King Carol II of Romania inaugurated the Transalpine Road from Sălişte to Novaci which also goes through Jina. Then the king promised the priest from Jina that he would help him build a new church... and the help arrived quickly afterwards.