"The Hermit of San Mamede" Mural

This mural is based on the tale of a hermit who was building his hermitage in the highest part of the mountain range, using the assistance of two deer to help carry the stones. One day a wolf attacked one of the deer, so the hermit put the wolf to work instead. This is how the hermitage of San Mamede was built with the help of a deer and a wolf.

In this part of Galicia, where raising livestock is one of the main sources of income, the wolf is one of the most feared animals, and it appears in many stories from the local folklore.

The hermit is seen here wearing a caroza, which is a traditional Galician suit made of straw, commonly worn by both male and female shepherds and farmers from Ourense. From time immemorial it was used as a form of protection against rain and cold, and was still commonly in use until just a few decades ago. These days there are not many people who have the skills to produce a good caroza, but they are still being used in some of the more remote mountainous areas of Galicia.

Mural and text by Xoana Almar and Miguel Peralta (Cestola na Cachola). Montederramo (Ourense). 2015. Created as part of the project "A Touch of Colour in Ribeira Sacra".