In the early late 19^th- and early 20^th centuries it wasn’t common to find female travelers scouring the earth in search of new territories, or in an attempt to uncover undiscovered landmarks. Although the existence of these brave women wasn’t necessarily celebrated, there’s no doubt that each of them made a significant impact on the development and discovery of Asia’s history. They risked not only their lives but their social statuses as well, in order to chart unknown territories.

In honor of Women’s History Month, just passed in March, we’ve decided to pay tribute to five of these incredible women. They are, in no particular order:

5. Isabella Bird

Image Credit: japanonfoot

Isabella Bird, a British explorer, lived from 1831 until 1904. Isabella spent much of her life feeling sick but historians debate whether or not she was really ill or if her sickness was psychogenic. Apparently Isabella never exhibited signs of illness when she was traveling or doing the things she loved - only when she was home in Britain. She was, notably, even ill during the time she was married - an illness that quickly subsided when her husband later passed away.

Image Credit: japanonfoot

Isabella Bird spent most of her time after her mother’s death in 1868 traveling the world. She spent time in Australia, Hawaii, and even in Colorado. Most notably, though, was her time spent in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.  She wrote a book called The Yangtze Valley and Beyond in which she tells the story of her trip across Sichuan and up the Yangtze River. During this time she, at the age of 66, traveled by foot, mule, boat, and a myriad of other traditional transportation methods.

Her writings for journals and magazines, as well as for her own books, made her an incredibly popular household name. She lived an adventurous life until her death in 1926. It is rumored that she, at the time of her death, was preparing for another trip to China.

4. Alexandra David-Neel

Alexandra David-Neel

Born in 1868, Alexandra David-Neel was an incredible Belgian-French explorer, writer, and woman. Before the age of 18 she had the opportunity to visit several foreign countries and by the early 1890’s she was exploring India as well. While there she began to study Buddhism and, upon her return almost 20 years later, continued her studies in the monastery of Sikkim.

David-Neel’s accomplishments as a traveler had a significant impact on the way women were viewed on both a political and spiritual level. While in Sikkim she met Maharaj Kumar Sidkeon Tulki (the crown prince) and became very close friends with him. In 1912 she had the opportunity to meet the 13^th Dalai Lama not once, but twice, and was allowed to speak to him candidly about Buddhism and spirituality. She continued to study Buddhism, explore Asia, and write books (over 2 dozen were published in her name), until her death at the age of 101 in 1969.

3. Dervla Murphy

Irish-born Dervla Murphy graced the earth with her presence in 1931 and launched her career as a traveler in 1963. Her first trip was a bicycle tour across Europe, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. She spent a significant amount of time in Dharmsala and Nepal working with Tibetan refugees before moving on to explore more of India, Baltistan, Madagascar, and South America.

Image Credit: fcb

Dervla Murphy continued to travel well into the year 2007. Along the way she suffered a number of injuries, including a broken knee and a torn calf, that forced her to put away her bicycle in exchange for train, boat, and bus passes. She continued to explore not only Asia but Siberia and Cuba as well. Today she lives in Lismore, Australia.

2. Ella Maillart

Swiss explorer Ella Maillart lived from 1903 until 1997 and became well known at first not for her travels but for her athletic abilities. She the captain of the women’s ice hockey team in Switzerland, loved to ski, and sailed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.

Maillart’s most notable journey was her 1935 trip throughout China with Peter Fleming, a British Journalist. She wrote a book, Forbidden Journey, and continued to write articles about her experiences in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Her books and writings are today considered to be valuable historical references.

1. Gertrude Bell

Born in 1868, Gertrude Bell certainly had a significant impact on the role women played in travel. She served as an archaeologist, diplomat, linguist, and in a number of other important positions. In 1917 she was given the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
[Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq28E5P80e4]
Bell spent her life volunteering with the Red Cross, acting as an honorary secretary for the British Women’s Anti-Suffrage League, and aiding British forces in their work to create alliances with the Arab government. She served as the “Liason Officer, Correspondent to Ciaro” and was later given the title “Oriental Secretary.” She played a significant role in the formation of behind-the-scenes political strategies and later played a major part in the formation of Iraq.

Gertrude Bell died in July of 1926. The reason for her death, an overdose on sleeping pills, is shrouded in mystery. No one will ever know if she died accidentally or if she took her life intentionally in order to avoid the symptoms associated with the progression of a cancer she may have been diagnosed with. Her writings are still used as references by government officials around the world.

Without these women we might not know the things we do about Asia today. They were courageous, strong, and paved paths for women that might not have otherwise been discovered!

Posted in Asia

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 at 10:44 am and is filed under Asia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.