I Am Hutterite

Mary-Ann Kirkby

• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9781418560324
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

In 1969, Ann-Marie's parents did the unthinkable, leaving a Hutterite colony with their seven children to start a new life. Overnight, the family was thrust into a society they did not understand and did not understand them in this powerful story of understanding how our beginnings often define us.

"Your mother and father are running away, " said a voice piercing the warm air. I froze and turned toward home. To a Hutterite, nothing is more shameful than that word."

When Ann-Marie's parents decided to leave their Hutterite colony in Canada with their seven children in tow, it was a complete shock. Overnight, the family was thrust into a society they did not understand, and which knew little of their unique culture. The transition was overwhelming. Desperate to be accepted, ten-year-old Ann-Marie was forced to deny her heritage in order to fit in with her peers.

I Am Hutterite chronicles Ann-Marie's quest to reinvent herself as she comes to terms with the painful circumstances that led her family to leave community life. Before she left the colony, Ann-Marie had never tasted macaroni and cheese or ridden a bike. She had never heard of Walt Disney or rock-and-roll. With great humor, she describes how she adapted to popular culture, and with raw honesty, her family's deep sense of loss for their community.

• Winner of the 2007 Saskatchewan Book Award for Non-fiction
• Unveils the rich history and traditions of the Hutterite people's extraordinary way of life
• Includes a glossary of Hutterite words and phrases, family photos, and a family tree

In this insightful memoir, venture into the hidden heart of the little-known Hutterite colony. Rich with memorable characters and vivid descriptions, this ground-breaking narrative shines a light on intolerance, illuminating the simple truth that beneath every human exterior beats a heart longing for understanding and acceptance.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword by Arvel Gray
• A Short History of the Hutterites
• Prologue
• Chapter 1. “Der G’hört Mein!”: “He’s Mine!”
• Chapter 2. Die Hochzeit: The Wedding
• Chapter 3. “Du Sei Der Gute”: “You Be the Good One”
• Chapter 4. Tea Bags and Sugar Lumps
• Chapter 5. Renie
• Chapter 6. Die Teacherin: The Teacher
• Chapter 7. Secret Flowerpot
• Chapter 8. Weglaufen: Running Away
• Chapter 9. Our Year at Dahl’s Farm
• Chapter 10. Rogers’ Farm
• Chapter 11. A Place of Our Own in Plum Coulee/Winkler
• Epilogue
• Afterword
• Acknowledgments
• Family Tree
• Hutterisch: Hutterite Language Glossary
• Bibliography
• Hutterite Sucre Pie