In Bruguera, a small hamlet within Ribes de Freser, Marina Vilalta, having just turned 99, maintains a daily routine that has made her Catalonia's oldest active shepherdess. Accompanied by her son Jesús Terruella, she travels each afternoon to a nearby clearing to tend her flock of about 15 sheep, an activity she describes as "the joy of her life".
Her day begins with her son's help to get into the van, while the flock follows them. Once at their usual spot, Marina skillfully lies down on the ground, a movement she performs alone, just as she gets up. The company of her dogs, Pinxo and Petita, and the pieces of feed she offers them, are part of this routine.
Vilalta started herding at nine years old, drawn to sheep, especially the black ones. She temporarily stopped working when she married Sebastià Terruella and moved to Bruguera. Although her brother-in-law took care of the flock during winters, she always awaited the animals' return in spring.
At one time, she was the only female shepherd in the village, a circumstance that the men of the era did not consider significant. Her flock grew to 130 heads. During the long hours in the mountains, she entertained herself by talking with visitors, the dogs, or listening to the radio, as "the sheep really like music." She also enjoys singing traditional Catalan songs, learned from her eleven siblings.
“"I'm better off being a shepherdess; if I stay home, I get nervous"
Despite past hardships, such as poverty, lack of formal education, and memories of the Civil War, Marina Vilalta recalls everything with joy. She highlights a trip to Mallorca with the sole purpose of "flying" and speaks proudly of her children, Jesús and Dolors. Jesús, now retired, helps her with the herding, adapting the flock to maintain his mother's happiness.
Currently, her vitality remains intact, despite a persistent cough. "If it weren't for this darn cough I have now, I'd be quite healthy. I eat everything, I don't hurt anywhere," she states, reaffirming her preference for an active life as a shepherdess.
