Shepherds are deeply ingrained in human societies and the occupation has been labelled the world's oldest vocation by historians who trace the origins back 11,000 years to a pivotal moment in the transition from nomadic existence to establishing fixed communities.
As humans abandoned the nomadic hunt for food, our resource management strategies changed to revolve around urban centres and villages. To comprehend the significance of this profession, we must transport ourselves to a time when online commerce and supermarkets were non-existent.
A single goat represented self-sufficiency: a source of milk, cheese, and meat for sustenance; wool, leather, and horns for clothing and tools; even dung for fuel and warmth. It is no surprise that various religions and beliefs accorded a central role to sheep and lambs.
Today, it is no less astonishing that nearly a quarter of the Earth's surface remains dedicated to livestock farming, employing around 200 million shepherds, both amateur and professional. It is an all-encompassing profession, on the watch at all times and at odds with the modern conception of leisure.
Perception vs reality
The pastoral image of shepherding belies the realities: the job demands boundless energy and nerves. A modern shepherd has to guide herds, sometimes exceeding 24,000 animals, around the clock. Ensuring that the herd is fed sufficiently while preserving the natural environment is paramount.
Additionally, shepherds must monitor the health of each animal and the collective health of the herd, develop and execute pasture management plans while maintaining fences and defence systems. They often train dogs to help with the task. Despite the solitude, shepherds build vital relationships with mountain users, tourists, hikers, hunters, foresters, and environmental management institutions.
History is suffused with myths of shepherds helping messiahs, sages, hermits, and even fools. Though their sacred aura is more the stuff of legend, shepherds continue to provide a picture of timelessness.
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Yet the romanticised vision contrasts starkly with the harsh realities: only 6% of shepherds have permanent contracts, alcoholism is rampant, and the average tenure is just five years. Transhumance – the seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures – is now largely done by truck, disrupting age-old practices.
Nevertheless, shepherds live on and provide an example of a lifestyle that resists modern consumerism and instant satisfaction. With help from cooperatives, pastoral groups, and local authorities, the profession goes on. Projects supported by the EU provide training, strategies, and skills to deal with contemporary challenges.
For those who aspire to leave urban life behind for a career fostering environmental balance and purposeful living, the path of the shepherd or shepherdess beckons. Guidance and resources can be found at nearby Cité des Métiers or Carrefours des Métiers in the Wallonia and Brussels regions, or through online information and guidance platform Miti.
