Buren is the easternmost village on the island of Ameland, one of the

West Frisian Islands The West Frisian Islands (; fry, Waadeilannen) are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, along the edge of the Wadden Sea. They continue further east as the German East Frisian Islands and are part of the Frisian Islands. Fr ...

and part of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Buren had, as of January 2017, a population of 715.

History

The village was first mentioned in the late 11th century as Buren, and means neighbourhood. Buren developed in the Late Middle Ages around a village square. It was originally a Catholic village. Buren was home to 147 people in 1840.

''Rixt van het Oerd''

Buren is also home to the infamous legend of the

witch Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...

''Rixt van het Oerd'' (e.g. Rixt of Oerd). This old lady would tie a lantern on a cow who she would chase into the dunes. She would hope for a ship to mistake the cow for a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

, thinking it was a safe haven. Instead the ship would run aground on the

sand bar In oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the bed of a body of water to near the surface. It o ...

s along the

coastline The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

, leaving its cargo for her to pick up from the beach. One day in a heavy storm, she practiced her reckless way of making extra money and encountered the dead body of a drowned sailor. As she came closer she realized that it was her own son, Sjoerd. After realizing what she has done, every time there is now a storm raging over Ameland, she howls out her son's name in the wind. In remembrance of the legend of ''Rixt van het Oerd'', there is a small statue in the center of Buren. 500 years ago the population consisted of pirates and bandits, today the residents live from the tourist industry (school classes from Germany visit Ameland and stay at Buren).

Gallery

File:Landbouw- en Jutters-museum Swartwoude 2017.jpg, Agriculture and

beachcombing Beachcombing is an activity that consists of an individual "combing" (or searching) the beach and the intertidal zone, looking for things of value, interest or utility. A beachcomber is a person who participates in the activity of beachcombing. ...

museum File:Buren Ameland Hoofdweg 2019.jpg, Street in Buren File:Nes Buren Hollum 19 08 35 424000.jpeg, Sea view

References

External links

{{Authority control Populated places in Friesland Ameland