Deborah Lawlor

One of the very first Aurovilians, USA-born Deborah Lawlor, left her body in Los Angeles in the evening of Tuesday, 2 May.

Deborah, and her husband Robert, were pioneers in Forecomers at the end of the 1960s and presented the first harvest from Auroville to Mother. They were responsible for the first infrastructure of the community, named ‘Forecomers’ by Mother and, with a background in dance and theatre, they famously presented a torchlit drama in the Forecomers canyons during which Deborah danced. The pair also built a first check dam in the canyon by hand.

Having returned to USA in the mid-70s, Deborah eventually moved to Los Angeles where she co-founded the Fountain Theatre, known for its festivals of flamenco dance and with which she worked for three decennia.

Her artistic skills and outgoing nature made her loved by many, and those of us who were around at the time, will never forget her colourful and highly artistic rendering of the then still budding Forecomers community.

Dance on, dear Deborah!

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If you would feel like, you can send us your recollections or photographs, so they can be added to the page in order to commemorate years of dedication to Auroville and its ideals.

This page has been published in order to create a space of remembrance for all of those who lived, struggled and enjoyed in Auroville, making a conscious effort to manifest the Dream of Human Unity that is in the process of emerging.