Vaqueiros d'alzada | |
|---|---|
 Vaqueiro-style wedding | |
| Total population | |
| Unknown | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Spain (Asturias and León) with significant diaspora in Argentina, Cuba, France, Madrid, Mexico, and United States | |
| Asturias | 6,448 (1980 est.)[1] |
| Languages | |
| Asturleonese, Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Predominately Roman Catholicism mixed with an ethnic religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Pasiegos, Maragatos, Asturians, Leonese | |
The Vaqueiros de Alzada (Asturian: Vaqueiros d'Alzada, "nomadic cowherds" in Asturian language, from their word for cow, cognate of Spanish Vaquero) are a northern Spanish nomadic people in the mountains of Asturias and León, who traditionally practice transhumance, i.e. moving seasonally with cattle.
Vaqueiros have a culture separate from their non-Vaqueiro Asturian and Leonese neighbors and can often be distinguished by their last names, many of which are unique to Vaqueiros including Alonso, Ardura, Arnaldo, Berdasco, Boto, Calzón, Feito, Gancedo, Gayo, Lorences, Parrondo, Redruello, Riesgo, Sirgo, and Verdasco among others.[2]
- ^ Feo Parrondo (1980) cited in Cátedra (1992), p. 7
- ^ "Asociación Cultural Vaqueiros de Alzada La Brañina". Asociación Cultural Vaqueiros de Alzada La Brañina (in Spanish).