Deià
Encyclopedia
Deià is a small coastal village on the northern ridge of the Spanish
island of Majorca. It is located about ten miles north of Valldemossa
, and it is known for its literary and musical residents. Its idyllic landscape, orange and olive groves on steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, served as a draw for German, English, and American expatriates after the first World War
.
The English poet, novelist, and scholar, Robert Graves
, was one of the first foreigners to settle in the village, where he collaborated with Laura Riding
in setting up the Seizin Press
. Graves returned after the war and remained in Deià until his death. He used the town as the setting for many of his stories, including the historical novel Hercules my Shipmate. His house is now a museum.
Anaïs Nin
visited the village in the 1920s, and she wrote a short story set on the village's beach. The Spanish writer, Carmen Naranjo
, recently wrote a short story about Nin's. The town is also the unnamed setting of the Uruguayan novelist, Cristina Peri Rossi
's "The Ship of Fools" (La nave de los locos). The Nicaraguan poet and novelist, Claribel Alegría
, lives in Deià today.
In recent decades, the stars of literature have been eclipsed by the stars of rock and roll. The Virgin Records
mogul, Richard Branson
, has a luxury residence in the town, and his label's stars have often visited the village and sometimes jammed at the local bar, 'Sa Fonda'. Deià was home to several Canterbury-scene
musicians over the years, including Kevin Ayers
, Robert Wyatt
, and Daevid Allen
. Mick Jagger
, guitarist Mark Knopfler
, and European-music icon Mike Oldfield
played there often in the late 1980s, as did Caroline Corr
.
The small village has around twenty restaurants and bars that are popular with visitors from all over the world.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
island of Majorca. It is located about ten miles north of Valldemossa
Valldemossa
Valldemossa or Valldemosa is a village and municipality on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands....
, and it is known for its literary and musical residents. Its idyllic landscape, orange and olive groves on steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, served as a draw for German, English, and American expatriates after the first World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The English poet, novelist, and scholar, Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
, was one of the first foreigners to settle in the village, where he collaborated with Laura Riding
Laura Riding
Laura Jackson was an American poet, critic, novelist, essayist and short story writer.- Early life :...
in setting up the Seizin Press
Seizin Press
The Seizin Press was a small press, founded in 1927 by Laura Riding and Robert Graves in London. From 1930 to 1937 it operated out of Majorca....
. Graves returned after the war and remained in Deià until his death. He used the town as the setting for many of his stories, including the historical novel Hercules my Shipmate. His house is now a museum.
Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin was a French-Cuban author, based at first in France and later in the United States, who published her journals, which span more than 60 years, beginning when she was 11 years old and ending shortly before her death, her erotic literature, and short stories...
visited the village in the 1920s, and she wrote a short story set on the village's beach. The Spanish writer, Carmen Naranjo
Carmen Naranjo
Carmen Naranjo Coto , is a Costa Rican novelist, poet and essayist.She was born in Cartago, the capital city of the Cartago Province. She received her primary education there at the Escuela República de Perú and her secondary at the Colegio Superior de Señoritas...
, recently wrote a short story about Nin's. The town is also the unnamed setting of the Uruguayan novelist, Cristina Peri Rossi
Cristina Peri Rossi
Cristina Peri Rossi is an Uruguayan novelist, poet, translator, and author of short stories.Considered a leading light of the post-1960s period of prominence of the Latin-American novel, she has written more than 37 works. She was born in Montevideo, Uruguay but was exiled in 1972, and moved to...
's "The Ship of Fools" (La nave de los locos). The Nicaraguan poet and novelist, Claribel Alegría
Claribel Alegría
Clara Isabel Alegría Vides is a Nicaraguan poet, essayist, novelist, and journalist who was a major voice in the literature of contemporary Central America. She writes under the pseudonym Claribel Alegría.-Early life:...
, lives in Deià today.
In recent decades, the stars of literature have been eclipsed by the stars of rock and roll. The Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
mogul, Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
, has a luxury residence in the town, and his label's stars have often visited the village and sometimes jammed at the local bar, 'Sa Fonda'. Deià was home to several Canterbury-scene
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
musicians over the years, including Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
, Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
, and Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
. Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, guitarist Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, and European-music icon Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
played there often in the late 1980s, as did Caroline Corr
Caroline Corr
Caroline Corr is an Irish singer and drummer for the Celtic folk rock band The Corrs. In addition to the drums, Caroline also plays the bodhrán and piano...
.
The small village has around twenty restaurants and bars that are popular with visitors from all over the world.
External links
- Deia Info Website of Deià
- Deya Heydays Deya Heydays - creative art scene of the 1960s and 1970s
- The English section of www.deia.info
- Deià by MallorcaWeb
- The Deià Archaeological Museum and Research Centre The Deià Archaeological Museum and Research Centre
- "Official website for 'La Casa de Robert Graves' in Deia, Majorca. Robert Graves Foundation"