Marina Vilalta i Fajula, the most senior shepherd in Catalonia, has died at 99. Her life embodied the struggle and pride of rural Girona. Her legacy now shapes the future of Catalan agriculture.
Marina Vilalta i Fajula, who spent nearly a century tending sheep and goats in the hills of Girona, has died at 99. For many in Catalonia’s farming community, her death closes a chapter. Vilalta was known not just for her age, but for her steady presence in the fields and her deep ties to the land.
Recognition for her work came late in life. In 2020, the Parliament of Catalonia honored her during a session on the rural crisis. The year before, she received the Creu de Sant Jordi, one of Catalonia’s highest civilian awards, for her lifelong dedication to shepherding and preserving local culture. These honors did not change her habits: for 94 years, she led her flock through the foothills of Taga, a daily routine that shaped her life and those around her.
In 2022, a square in Bruguera was officially named after Marina Vilalta as a tribute to her contribution to rural life.
Vilalta was born in 1927 in Bruguera, a small village in Girona province. She started shepherding at five, learning from her father. She never learned to read or write, but her command of oral tradition made her a respected figure in her community. Her story was later told in a book by journalist Abraham Orriols, and her name now marks a square in her hometown.
In her later years, Vilalta spoke out for livestock farmers, insisting their work was vital for rural communities to survive. She became a familiar voice during parliamentary debates, putting a human face on the challenges facing Catalonia’s agricultural sector. After her death, condolences poured in on social media, especially from younger farmers and colleagues who saw her as a model for their own work.
Her passing comes as rural Spain faces depopulation, economic strain, and the loss of traditional ways of life. Vilalta’s story stands apart from the political careers often reported in the news, which tend to unfold in cities far from the countryside. Her influence was measured not in laws or speeches, but in the persistence of a way of life rooted in the soil.
According to leading Catalan media, Vilalta was widely regarded as the oldest active shepherd in the region, and her passing is seen as the loss of a symbol of traditional rural life in Ripollès and the broader Catalan primary sector. Local authorities, including the mayor of Ribes de Freser, Monica Sanjaume, publicly expressed condolences and highlighted that the community was able to honor her legacy during her lifetime.
Vilalta never left the land, even as rural populations shrank and economic pressures grew. For many, she became a reference point for what it means to keep Catalonia’s agricultural heritage alive. The honors she received were acknowledgments of a struggle that continues for others. As Catalonia looks ahead, Marina Vilalta i Fajula’s example remains a reminder of resilience and authenticity in a sector often overlooked by policymakers and the public.
