ZAGAL

Zagal (Shepherd boy): Art inherited from parents to children
Once they acquired writing and maths skills, children from the Leonese Mountains started an adventure which would turn into a respected profession later on: That of a shepherd. Their training, beyondd the books, was their own experience. Life lessons shared and learnt, step-by step for years, from the hands of shepherds, rabadanes* and mayorales*.
* The rabadán was responsible for a flock of sheep.
* The mayoral was the head shepherd in charge of all the herds.
The category of zagal was the lowest of the shepherd profession. Their labors were: care for the flock of shepherds, urge on the back of herd, and in the sheepfold to care for the young sheeps, go for water, firewood, make the soups, migas…