Imago Lisboa 2023 A-LOGO

Instituto Cervantes

R. de Santa Marta 43F R/C, 1169-119 Lisboa
2ª a 6ª - 10h00 > 20h00 / sáb. > 09h30 > 13h00

28/09 - 21/12/2023

 

Susana Girón

  • _I8A3604
  • Antonio Alarcon and his father also called Antonio, ride the herds on the transhumant winter migration made by foot with the cattle. They have 550 sheeps and more than 200 km to walk in 7 days between Castril (Granada) and Las Navas de San Juan (Jaen). Every 6 months, they have to change the place to live, looking for the best grass in winter and summer. In Castril they have their home, and in Las Navas de San Juan, they spend the whole winter due to the best quality of the grass. They are one of the little famillies that still remain working as nomad shepherds in Spain.Spain is the only country that maintains a network of historic paths that exceed 125,000 km. The origin of many of these ways, some of them with more than 8,000 years of history, is on the migrations that have historically made nomadic shepherds. Until the early nineteenth century, 5 million of head of cattle roamed these corridors of biodiversity. Today transhumance in Spain is threatened due to the scarcity of public aid and generational relief difficult. Just represented by about 100 families who handle about 200,000 head of cattle through 50,000 miles of streams and cattle trails. Transhumance, threatened by the new agricultural policy of the European Union and the legal obstacles, for many naturalists and conservationists represents the possibility of generating 5,000 direct jobs and contribute to important conservation of biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage manner. 1000 sheep or 100 cows generate daily 3 tons of manure and over 5 million of seeds of which 30% end germinating. One option for sustainable development which is also a heritage from oblivion for many towns and rural areas of Spain.
  • _I8A8815-2

SUSANA GIRÓN

90 VARAS

This is an ancient and intimate story, the story of Maria and Antonio Alarcon. A story that begins in the year 1,273 and with 90 shepherd canes. 90 shepherd cannes was the measure that regulated by the royal edict of the Monarch Alfonso X el Sabio, back in 1273, the width of the Cañadas Reales for traditional use and the transit of transhumant herds in Spain.

And to preserve its regulation, he ordered the creation of the Honorable Council of the Mesta, the first grouping of cattle ranchers in Spain and Europe, with the objective of protecting the roads for the transit of livestock and the livestock trade. In its heyday, in the mid-eighteenth century, 3,750,000 head of cattle passed annually through the canyons and royal trails. Today, there are only 150 transhumant families left and an approximate number of 150,000 head of cattle migrating along these roads full of history.

The Alarcon family is one of the last families who still work as nomadic shepherds in Spain, they migrate through the territory by foot with their animals in search of better pastures and living conditions. Twice a year, walk close to 200 km during 8 days of the hard trip for them and their 600 sheep from Fatima (Granada) to Las Navas de San Juan (Jaen). During these journeys, they live in the middle of nature and forests, on the slopes of mountains, enduring hard living conditions and extreme weather along the very ancient Spanish paths known as “Canadas Reales”.

Today transhumance in Spain is being threatened by several factors, including the lack of public aid and the difficulty for the older generation of shepherds to be replaced. The scarcity of economic resources and the cheapening of the costs for their livestock exploitation should compensate, in some way, the sacrifice of living in an eternal pilgrimage. The result is that most families are about to abandon transhumance. Paradoxically, transhumance represents an opportunity for more ecological and sustainable livestock.

en_GBEnglish
pt_PTPortuguese en_GBEnglish