The 92 year old Margaret Outschoorn is the oldest member of the Portuguese Burgher community in Batticaloa. Displaced from the Dutch Bar after the 2004 tsunami, she now lives in a new settlement developed especially for the community. She talks about displacement and loss of her unique culture and how she still misses her old life in the Dutch Bar. Photography by Kannan Arunasalam. Kaffirinha music by the Burgher Union Band.
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New portrait: http://t.co/JR52uDbf featuring Kaffirinha music by the Burgher Union Band #lka disappearing narratives http://t.co/om9SjFtz
RT @iam_project: New portrait: http://t.co/JR52uDbf featuring Kaffirinha music by the Burgher Union Band #lka disappearing narratives ht …
RT @iam_project: “But Dutch Bar is the best” Listen to Batticaloan elder talk about displacement and loss http://t.co/mfVF9d6C #lka elders
Best wishes for all «portuguese» in Sri Lanka
At 92, Margaret Ootschorn is very likely the oldest living member of the Portuguese Burgher community in Batticaloa. Displaced from the Dutch Bar after the 2004 Tsunami, she now lives with her daughter in Thiraaimadu, a new settlement developed especially for the displaced community. She said she still misses her life in the Dutch Bar.
We talked about the disappearing language and traditions, and how the younger generation no longer speak the language. Afterwards I walked around the small village, met members of the community who were sitting by the roadside and the beautiful new church that was being built for them.
A few months later, she invited me along to celebrate the wedding of her grandniece in the unique Portugese Burgher style, with the special blend of Kaffirinha music, dancing and importantly, wine. The Burgher hospitality is legendary and while Margaret felt that modern Burgher weddings are nothing like in the old days, everyone had a lot of fun.
It was great to hear someone of that age still surviving after the tsumani. God Bless her. By the way it is Outschoorn and not Ootschorn pl. Thanks.
Thanks for the correction of the spelling. She is an amazing elder.
With a name like Outschoorn, which is clearly of Dutch origin, why does the note in the description panel say that she is a Portuguese Burgher? Is there some kind of subtle discrimination afoot here?
Her name is Margaret Outschoorn and she is proud of her Portuguese Burgher roots. Nothing sinister here. As our Batticaloan sister explains, in those days “people just mixed up”. Listen to her piece here http://iam.lk/the-sister.
The descendants of the Portuguese who settled before the Dutch tanned more to appear darker than Mrs Margaret Ootschoorn and her family. In those days the Dutch soldiers married the widows of the Portuguese soldiers who lost their lives in the battle. Mrs Outschoom speaks so clearly. My very best wishes to her. I hope she will live for more than 100 years!
I am proud of you Margaret! You have done well and I wish you many many more years. By the way are you related to Laddie Outschoorn who played cricket for Worcestershire England?
Good luck, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Valentine
Laddie was I believe a pure ‘Dutch Burgher’.
[…] http://iam.lk/the-matriarch/ for a Portuguese Burgher wedding with kaffrinha music … and what is best of all Margaret […]
I am so proud to hear of this lady as my parents too were from Batticaloa. Wish you well Nana. Keep going and may God bless you.
Anyone from Batti: do you know of the little church called “our lady of little Lourdes”? People from Colombo and I guess all over Lanka would go for a few days pilgrimage as it were, very much like the masses that went to the church of our lady of Madhu. There were wells of water believed to be holy where you could bathe from. I used to go there myself in the 60s. And I’m quite sure it was somewhere in Batticoloa, but on my recent visit there, no one knew of any church of that name. Any information please? Thanks.
Dawn
Ps. Just came across this site by chance…
That chapel is called “Our Lady of Voyage” that was built by the Portuguese by the Batticaloa lagoon. It was partially damaged by the tsunami and next to it is constructed a new church with the same name.
Thank you, Earl for sharing these interesting details about the community’s chapel.