24.04.2017

Transhumance , currently a living heritage, receives the highest level of protection for intangible cultural heritage to preserve it for the future.

Many places in Spain owe part of their cultural identity to transhumance, which is reflected in festivals and traditions , the calendar, toponymy , the transformation of the landscape , gastronomy , and traditional architecture related to this activity, such as the construction of shelters for shepherds using native materials. The legacy of transhumance is also found in oral tradition and crafts , as well as in customary law that establishes the management of pastures.

The movement of livestock from winter pastures to summer pastures, and vice versa, has traditionally been a mechanism for cultural exchange between the different territories of the Iberian Peninsula thanks to the extensive network of livestock trails . These routes provided the transmission of news and knowledge, creating a certain cultural homogeneity in distant territories.

Transhumance has gradually lost momentum throughout the 20th century due to major cultural, socioeconomic, and urban transformations. Among the causes of the gradual decline in the development of transhumant pastoral activity were increasing sedentarization and the increasing importance of agriculture over livestock farming, the abolition of privileges and loss of state support for the Mesta ( Mexican herd) in the 19th century, the exodus from the countryside to the city in the 20th century, the homogenization of modern society, and the abandonment of traditional ways of life.

There are many aspects to consider when planning safeguarding actions related to transhumance, as both the traditional dimension of transhumance livestock farming and the different elements that make up current livestock farming must be considered. The development of the White Paper on Transhumance in Spain was a safeguarding action that took these aspects into account. This document contains a diagnosis of the current situation of transhumance and a series of measures necessary for its recovery. The White Paper on Transhumance was promoted by the Working Group on Transhumance and Livestock, within the framework of the National Rural Network 2007-2013, established in 2009 and composed of representatives from the Ministry, the Autonomous Communities, and organizations linked to transhumance livestock farming.

Transhumance is a matter of the past and the present, and with steps such as its recognition as a Representative Manifestation of Intangible Cultural Heritage, we are committed to making it a matter of the future.