our latest Oral History Project (a work in progress)
Who is Lucy Loes and which are the factors that made her into the Ostend legend she is today: ‘the Queen of the Fisherman’s Song’? With this question in mind, a book will be realized on the person of Lucy Loes and the setting she lives in: the ‘city at sea’ Ostend.
Lucy Loes was born in 1928 at the quay of Ostend as Lucienne Vanbesien. She became famous with her fisherman songs, performed in authentic Ostend dialect. Best known are ‘M’n Zeekapiting’ and ‘Bie us an ‘t zčetje’. Every Ostendian, young or old, is familiar with her music.
In the book Lucy Loes takes us through the journey of her life. She tells us about the ‘little beach’ were she spent a lot of time as a child, her youth during world War II, fishermen’s life, the marine, rise of mass tourism and her career as a singer.
However, for the people of Ostend she represents more than only a singer. She is involved in many associations, supporting seniors, students, gay people and the handicapped. Frequently she performs for a good cause and annually she organizes a Santa Claus festivity for the school children of ‘Koninklijk Werk Ibis’.
Several different features of Lucy Loes will be highlighted: the musician, the fisherman’s wife, the mother, the Ostendian and many more. However, the meaning of the dominant themes in the life of Lucy Loes can’t be fully grasped without situating them in a broader context. The fishery, the evolution of the harbour and the rise of tourism at the coast are factors of the local history of Ostend that determined her career. The book will relate the life history of the person of Lucy Loes to the history of the city of Ostend. Both histories have modified one another and are inherently connected.
In the Oral History approach the importance of oral narratives are paramount. It aims at the reconstruction of history through the minds and memories of those who were present.
The stories of Lucy Loes and the people who were important in her life will bring forward a ‘living’ history. Historical research and documentation will lead to a basis for validation of obtained data. Interaction between field research and written source-material will lead to an accurate and full scoped image of Lucy Loes and her connection to the city and people of Ostend. In this way we purpose to bring you an anthropological well founded but easy reading publication.
Project will be guided by Anke Van Vossole and Filip Lammens.
Anke Van Vossole (1976)
Master in Sociology of Culture and Religion (University of Louvain, Belgium) and finishing the final essay to obtain the degree of Master in Social and Cultural Anthropology (University of Louvain, Belgium). Co-researcher and project manager of Expeditions.
anke.van.vossole@xpeditions.be