Departures of note

Marina Vilalta i Fajula was a Catalan shepherdess and a living reference point for the traditional rural life of the Catalan countryside. For decades she kept the profession of shepherd alive, combining animal husbandry with the preservation of popular culture, traditions, and the memory of the rural world. In 2022 her lifelong dedication was recognized with the Creu de Sant Jordi, one of Catalonia's highest civil distinctions, awarded for her work in the countryside and in popular culture. She became known as the oldest active shepherdess in Catalonia, admired as an emblem of resilience and cultural roots. She died at the age of 99, leaving behind a legacy as a symbol of rural identity and generational memory in Catalonia.