Leonese people

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Leonese
(Llïoneses)


flag_caption = The Coat of Arms of León

pop = approx. more than 1 million people worldwide
region1 = Provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca (Spain)
region2 = District of Bragança (Portugal)

The Leoneses (Leonese: "Llïoneses") are an ethnic group or nationality whose homeland is the Kingdom of León, which is a historical region in Southwestern Europe, embracing a territory situated in the north-west of Spain and northeast of Portugal. The languages of León are Leonese and Spanish into Spain and Leonese and Portuguese in Portugal.

Geography and Demographics

Political and administrative divisions

* SpainThe former Kingdom of León was maily divided in three historical regions: Asturias, León and Extremadura, being the southern territories integrated into Andalucía, and some of the easter into Castile. Spanish division of 1833 [Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833] recognised as leonese provinces of León, Salamanca and Zamora.

*PortugalThere are leonese minorities into the District of Bragança (Portugal) that keep Leonese culture and Leonese language, mainly in the northwest (Riodonor, Guadramil) and in the Land of Miranda, where a Leonese dialect known as Mirandese [ [http://www.unesco.org] ] was officially recognised by the Parliament of Portugal.

Leonese language

The Leonese language ("Llingua Llïonesa" in Leonese) was developed from Vulgar Latin with contributions from the pre-Roman languages which were spoken in the territory of the Spanish provinces of León, Zamora, and Salamanca and in some villages in the District of Bragança, Portugal. Close to Mirandese and Asturian, it belongs to Leonese or Astur-Leonese subgroup of Iberian languages.

Leonese was the official language of the Leonese Kingdom in the Middle Ages, and achieved a high codification grade.
First written text in Leonese is "Nodicia de Kesos" (959 or 974), and so others like "Fueru de Llión", "Fueru de Salamanca", "Fueru Xulgu", "Códice d'Alfonsu XI", ou "Disputa d'Elena y María" or "Llibru d'Alixandre" were written in Leonese [Menéndez Pidal, R. "El Dialecto Leonés". Madrid. 1906]

The situation of Leonese as minorized language has driven Leonese to near extinction and is considered a seriously endangered language by the UNESCO [ [http://www.helsinki.fi/~tasalmin/europe_report.html#Leonese UNESCO Red Book on Endangered Languages: Europe] ] . There are some efforts to gain acceptance among the urban population (the Leonese Council and other municipalities such as Zamora, Coyanza, Mansilla de las Mulas or La Bañeza made campaigns in and for teaching Leonese).

Leonese cuisine

"Embutidos"
*"Cecina from León": from beef. In Leonese, cecina means "meat that has been salted and dried by means of air, sun or smoke". Cecina de León is made of the hind legs of beef, salted, smoked and air-dried in the province of León in Northwestern Spain, and has PGI status.

*"Botillo": from pig. Traditionally made in the western leonese regions. "Botiellu", in Leonese language, is a dish of meat-stuffed pork intestine. It is a culinary specialty of El Bierzo, a county in the Spanish province of León and also of the region of Trás-os-Montes, in Portugal. This type of "Embutido" is a meat product made from different pieces left over from the butchering of a pig, including the ribs, tail, and bones with a little meat left on them. These are chopped; seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and other spices; stuffed in the cecum of the pig; and partly cured via smoking. It can also include the pig's tongue, shoulder blade, jaw, and backbone, but never exceeding 20% of the total volume. It is normally consumed cooked, covered with a sheet. Also has a PGI status.

"Wines"

* "Bierzo": in the west of the Province of León and covers about 3,000 km². The area consists of numerous small valleys in the mountainous part (Alto Bierzo) and of a wide, flat plain (Bajo Bierzo). The DO covers 23 municipalities.

* "Tierras de León": in the southeast of the Province of León.

* Toro

"Sweets"

* Mantecadas de Astorga.

* Hojaldres de Astorga.

* Lazos de San Guillermo.

* Nicanores de Boñar.

Religion

The majority of Leoneses are Roman Catholics with a non-religious minority.

Nationalism and history

There are Leoneses political parties who claim for an independent autonomous community for the Leonese provincies.

See also

*Leonese language
*Kingdom of León
*Province of León
*Province of Salamanca
*Province of Zamora
*Nationalities of Spain
*Spanish people

External links

* http://www.puntulli.org/ Top Level Domain for Leonese language
* http://www.elfueyu.net/ Leonese language Association
* http://www.eltoralin.com/ Leonese language Association from El Bierzo
* http://www.aytoleon.es/ Leonese City Council
* http://www.dipuleon.es/ Leonese Provincial Council

Notes