peaks of shala

For the person who needs everything, there's John B. Allcock and Antonia Young's Black Lambs and Grey Falcons: Women Travelling in the Balkans (University of Bradford, 2000, an update of the 1991 edition). In addition to a chapter about Rose Wilder Lane, there is another about Rebecca West and her book, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (Vail-Ballou Press, 1940), although West's book is more about Yugoslavia and next-to-nothing about Albania.

After dipping into those, I wanted to read Peaks of Shala again, or maybe I should say I wanted to read again while actually paying attention. I started searching for reviews of Peaks of Shala and was surprised to find quite a bit of newspaper coverage of Rose's time in Albania, especially her interview with a bandit (shown above). Rose writes: "...He was ragged... and incredibly whiskered. But he carried besides his rifle on his back an old beautifully made musical instrument somewhat resembling a mandolin." He sang for Rose and her friend. And although Rose took no notes, she remembered "lyrical words about life on the mountains, camp fires and stars [and] freedom..." which the bandit called "the only life for a man." I can't help but wonder if the bandit's whiskers reminded Rose just the tiniest bit of Grandpa Ingalls.

In 2002, Michael Galaty, professor of anthropology at Millsaps College in Mississippi, along with filmmaker Robert Schon, retraced Rose Wilder Lane's journey as outlined in Peaks of Shala, studying the few echoes of the tribal system - so fascinating to Rose - not destroyed during Communist takeover. They were even able to recreate several of the photos Annette Marquis took for Rose's book.

Galaty returned to Albania this past January, and blogged about his trip, which you can read HERE. Galaty really brings Rose's book to life for me, and I look forward to his film about the Shala Valley Project.
- posted by pioneergirl at 9:34 PM