FREYA STARK

“One life is a small time” Freya Stark, from a letter to a friend, the 18th

November 1929.

Freya was a famous british writer and photographer from old days

Freya's parents had been travelers themselves, moving around Europe like nomads.

Freya was born in Paris, in 1893, educated in London, and spent much of her early life in Italy.

In her early years she was quite poor and had to be very careful about money. Later she had a house in Asolo, Italy, where she died at the age of a hundred.

Because of health problems, financial difficulties and family responsibilities, Freya started her travels at age of 35. She travelled the remotest regions of the Middle East, mostly alone and usually by donkey, camel, or on

foot.

She was also a mountain climber. At age 89 she was filmed by a TV crew as she rode a mule into the

Himalayas, although by evening she was so tired she had to be lifted off her mule and carried to her tent.

She was a great lover offashion when it came to clothes, but her tastes fortravel were simple.

Wherever she went, she travelled as a native, adopting their language and customs, eating and sleeping in their tents or under the stars.

Freya used to research the

geography, language and customs of a place before going there, and once there, she absorbed every detail.

She learned numerous languages and became fluent in Arabic. She also read and studied the Koran, learned cartography and made maps.

During World War I, she served as a nurse and later as a journalist for The Baghdad Times.

She was arrested and put into a military prison by the French for entering their forbidden territory of Syria.

Her first book, “The Valleys of the Assassin”, was the end of her brave trek across an area of Iran dominated by a dangerous sect of Muslims, where no other travelers went.

During World War II she served Great Britain in the Middle East both as a translator and an emissary spreading the ideals of democracy to encourage the native people to take the side of the allies.

Her work toward this cause was considered very important and effective in the region. She was knighted at age 82.

She had losts of friends and followers. A great number of letters to and from friends and family have been preserved.

Her own letters from different regions of the world served as her journals and were the resources for most of her writing;

These letters were privately published late in her life in 8 handsome volumes.

While other women were fighting for equal rights, Freya was embarking on ocean and desert crossings and living a life most men wouldn't do.

With her books, we cannot help thinking how fortunate we are that she recorded so much of her grand adventure on paper for all of us. Thank you, Freya!

Text from “ Author Profile: Freya Stark”

by Catherine Petruccione

( adapted by Luis Fuentes State School Staff)