Buren, Friesland


Buren is the easternmost village on the island of Ameland, one of the West Frisian Islands and part of the Netherlands. Buren had, as of January 2017, a population of 715.

''Rixt van het Oerd''

Buren is also home to the infamous legend of the witch Rixt van het 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, thinking it was a safe haven. Instead the ship would run aground on the sand bars along the coastline, 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