Transhumance is a funny word that I only just learned this past week. According to the internet, it is:
"the action or practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to lowlands in winter and highlands in summer." (source: Google)
I actually watched a documentary about transhumance about 3-4 years ago during South by Southwest. It's called The Last Shepherd, and it tells the story of a shepherd who brings his sheep into the center of Milan so as to introduce all the city-folk to what they're missing out on in rural life. I highly recommend, mostly because the sheep are so darned cute.
Seriously, sheep are super cute. Like this little lamb in one of my favorite paintings in the Prado:
Look at how cute he is!!
So apparently in Madrid, the local sheep-herders guild (I'm honestly not sure what to call it), makes a ceremonial crossing through the city one Sunday in the fall--as both a way to show the poor, deprived city-folk their rural heritage and also a defense of more traditional ways of life.
"the action or practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to lowlands in winter and highlands in summer." (source: Google)
I actually watched a documentary about transhumance about 3-4 years ago during South by Southwest. It's called The Last Shepherd, and it tells the story of a shepherd who brings his sheep into the center of Milan so as to introduce all the city-folk to what they're missing out on in rural life. I highly recommend, mostly because the sheep are so darned cute.
Seriously, sheep are super cute. Like this little lamb in one of my favorite paintings in the Prado:
Look at how cute he is!!
So apparently in Madrid, the local sheep-herders guild (I'm honestly not sure what to call it), makes a ceremonial crossing through the city one Sunday in the fall--as both a way to show the poor, deprived city-folk their rural heritage and also a defense of more traditional ways of life.
Women and men in more traditional dress walked down the street, playing music and dancing--like a little parade!
Several carts pulled by oxen accompanied the sheep, along with loads of shepherds, goats and sheepdogs.
Just look at that little guy!! Isn't he so cute?!?!?!?!?!
No comments:
Post a Comment