Full Answer
Who are the Hutterites and where do they live?
The Hutterites The Hutterites are a communal people, living on hundreds of scattered bruderhöfe or colonies throughout the prairies of northwestern North America. On average, fifteen families live and work on the typical Hutterite colony, where they farm, raise livestock and produce manufactured goods for sustenance.
Can Hutterites steal from anyone?
They can and definitely will steal from anyone they view as sinful, so basically anyone outside their colony. It sounds like racial profiling but hutterites seriously steal poo poo en masse all the time. In high school a buddy of mine worked at some garage in buttfuck nowhere so the hutterites would always bring their trucks in.
Are Hutterites good people?
I have spent years working with Hutterites, they are very good people, but not thought of that way by all. Your story was respectful and very accurate. Well done Great article and the Hutterites seem to be good people. One little niggle though - Anabaptists were never persecuted.
What is a Hutterite colony?
They should not be confused with the Bruderhof communes, also known as the Society of Brothers or, sometimes, Hutterites, who are well-known for manufacturing classroom furniture, wooden toys, and other products. The Chicken Manager of the Pincher Creek, Alberta, Hutterite Colony sorting eggs.
How many wives can a Hutterite have?
The Hutterites invented a matching procedure during which once or twice a year the marriageable youth were assembled, and the preacher gave each male a choice of three females from which to select a wife. The man had to wait for the next time if he did not want to marry any of the three.
Can Hutterites marry non Hutterites?
However, one must marry a Hutterite, and interfaith marriages never occur in the Hutterite church (Hofer 1998). Most colonies are like a large extended family where everyone is either a relative or feels like one, so one usually goes outside the colony to find a spouse.
Do Hutterites marry their cousins?
The young people of the pacifist communal sect rarely marry within their own colony. The local colony contains only 51 people and most are related. First cousins don't marry, but more distant cousins sometimes do.
Do Hutterites marry relatives?
Marriage is colony exogamous and Leut endogamous. Within these bounds, freedom of choice of spouses is the norm, although sibling exchange marriages are preferred. Postmarital residence is patrilocal, and a woman's ties to her family are usually overridden by patriarchal authority patterns. Divorce is not allowed.
Can Hutterites drink alcohol?
They speak English in school or in business, German in the home. They drink alcohol but do not dance. Though each family has its own home, everybody in the colony - usually between 35 and 130 people - shares meals in the same dining hall.
At what age do Hutterites get married?
It is estimated that the Hutterite mean age at marriage has risen from 22.0 years to 24.9 years for females; and from 23.5 years to 26.0 years for males between 1950 and 1971. The % of Hutterite women over the age of 30 who remained unmarried rose from 5.4% in 1950 to 14.8% in 1971.
Why are Hutterites so clean?
The main reason for their success, I think, is they have a lot of peer pressure that keeps them accountable. Neighbors pop in unannounced daily. They see clean homes modeled for them by all of their neighbors. The culture is unified in their efforts to keep everything clean and tidy.
What do Hutterites do for fun?
Hutterites do different things in their leisure time. Boys and men play sports, such as hockey, volleyball, baseball, soccer, football, and lacrosse. Females are more involved in crafts, such as creating flower arrangements, knitting, crocheting, needle-point and rug-making.
Can you leave a Hutterite Colony?
The Colony to Society Association will allow Hutterites who want to leave, whether they're not happy with life or just want to transition to the outside, to do it smoothly. For Hutterites contemplating leaving their colony, they have to do so with nothing but the clothes on their back.
Can you convert to Hutterite?
Q: Is it possible to become a Hutterite if you're not born one? A: Some people have joined the colony but left after a few years. While the colony has made some changes, it's often difficult for outsiders to make the transition. “Believe me, it's a life of submission,” Wipf said.
Do Hutterites own cars?
They have electricity, cars, huge trucks, computer-managed hog operations, internet, and more. They have computers in their well-equipped schools as well.
Do Hutterites have phones?
Hutterites have only recently begun to embrace technology. Televisions are not allowed, but the elders have given permission to use cell phones and computers to communicate and stay competitive in business, especially farming. Some people have criticized Hutterites for buying up much of western Canadian farmland.
What religion do Hutterites practice?
Hutterites are pietist Christians believing in adult baptism and pacifism, as do other Anabaptists such as the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Brethren in Christ; yet they also follow biblical texts enjoining strict community of goods. They follow Peter Rideman's Confession of Faith (c.
What are the 3 types of Hutterites?
Three different branches of Hutterites live in the prairies of North America: the Schmiedeleut, the Dariusleut and the Lehrerleut. Though all three "leut" are Hutterites, there are some distinctive differences, including style of dress and organizational structure.
Can you visit a Hutterite Colony?
The tour lasts for about 1.5 hours and shows the communal lifestyle of the Hutterites. The King Colony was featured on the National Geographic Channel show "American Colony, Meet the Hutterites". Tours cost $18 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.
What does the Hutterite religion believe?
Often compared to Amish or Mennonites, Hutterites are a communal people belonging to a peace-driven Anabaptist sect that lives by the principle of non-resistance, the practice of not resisting authority even when it is unjust.
How did the Hutterites marry?
The Hutterites invented a matching procedure during which once or twice a year the marriageable youth were assembled, and the preacher gave each male a choice of three females from which to select a wife. The man had to wait for the next time if he did not want to marry any of the three. This changed to personal choice in 1830 following the uproar caused when a young girl refused to marry an older man (Peter 1971). However, one must marry a Hutterite, and interfaith marriages never occur in the Hutterite church (Hofer 1998). Most colonies are like a large extended family where everyone is either a relative or feels like one, so one usually goes outside the colony to find a spouse. Because Hutterites cannot marry until after baptism and because visiting across colonies is relatively infrequent (for weddings, funerals, and the like), courtships of three or four years are not uncommon (Kephart 1976).
Why do men have to be under pressure to marry?
Men are under pressure to marry because they cannot grow beards until they are married, and a beardless male is visibly set apart and not allowed to move into the upper authority levels . The marriage bond is relatively weak in that the couple is generally together only at night.
When do Schmiedeleut weddings take place?
Half of all Schmiedeleut marriages occur in November or December (Hostetler 1974). The bride typically wears a blue brocade wedding dress, along with her usual kerchief head covering instead of a veil. The groom wears a black suit (made for him by his fiancée) with a white shirt and black tie. Wedding cakes seem to be getting fancier, and pictures are now usually taken. It is a happy time, with much to eat and drink (Hofer 1998).
What was the median age in 1950?
In 1950 the median age at marriage was 22.0 years for women and 23.5 years for men.
What does the boy ask the preacher for?
Next, the elders consider his request and lecture him on proper behavior, and he is encouraged to confess his sins . The next day father and son travel to the girl's colony to get her parent's permission. The day after they are put together in the girl's church.
How many families live in a Hutterite colony?
On average, fifteen families live and work on the typical Hutterite colony, where they farm, raise livestock and produce manufactured goods for sustenance. The communal lifestyle of the Hutterites finds its roots in the biblical teachings of Christ and the Apostles.
What is the Hutterian Brethren?
The Hutterian Brethren or Hutterites are a faith group stemming from the Radical Reformation of the 16th century.
How long are the Pentecostal holidays?
The Pentecostal holidays, lasting 3 days starting on Sunday, are some of the most importan....
What do the Hutterites have?
5. Technology: not like the old order Amish! They have electricity, cars, huge trucks, computer-managed hog operations, internet, and more. They have computers in their well-equipped schools as well . However, they don’t have TVs in an effort to better preserve communication and exchange amongst colony members. Note that the Hutterites struggle as we all do to use technology (i.e. smartphones) for beneficial purposes and to prevent misuse amongst its members. They seem to be doing something right on this front, as you certainly don’t see people walking around the colony in a zombie-like state, texting, facebooking, tweeting or whatsapping their friends. A sight for sore eyes!
Where are the Hutterite colonies?
There are also Hutterite colonies in Northern Idaho. We also have a town called Hutter. Most of the colonies are on the Washington and Montana side though. Great story!
Why did the Protestants and Catholics persecute the Anabaptists?
Both Catholics and Protestants persecuted the Anabaptists, resorting to torture and execution in attempts to curb the growth of the movement. Felix Manz was the first martyr in 1527. King Ferdinand cruelly declared drowning (called the third baptism) "the best antidote to Anabaptism". The Tudor regime, as well as the Protestant rulers of England persecuted Anabaptists as they were deemed too radical. You should read "Martyrs Mirror", by van Braght; it describes the persecution and execution of thousands of Anabaptists in various parts of Europe between 1525 and 1660. Continuing persecution in Europe was largely responsible for the mass emigrations to North America by Amish, Hutterites, and Mennonites.
Is each colony strict?
Each colony has its own personality and some are more strict than others. I have some very good friends in the colonies and consider them good Christian brothers.
Do Hutterites vote?
The Hutterites practice traditional gender roles, and women cannot vote or hold colony office. It might sound shocking to some of us – especially if you are a feminist – but if this what you were raised with, it’s simply cultural. Adolescents become adult members at age fifteen and are eligible for baptism at age twenty. At this age, a Hutterite woman generally leaves her colony to marry a man in another colony, which receives a dowry in exchange. For instance, Carol left her Kilby Butte Colony in Montana to go to Brian’s colony at Forest River.
What was the central element of Hutterite society?
Food, and the communal feeding of 100 or so people in a colony, is a central element of Hutterite society. One of the searing events in Hutterite history occurred in 1918, when two of their men were tortured to death by American soldiers.
What are Hutterites respectful of?
Social Practices. When projects are proposed or group work is underway, Hutterites are highly respectful of each other. Older men whose pace of work may slow down the operation are respected; when young, inexperienced boys join in the work they are not resented. In group discussions, everyone is highly conscious of rank and quite cautious about advancing proposals; suggestions will be made passively, many proposals considered, and since ideas are not attributed to specific individuals, the group as a whole becomes the author of the proposal that is decided upon. Everyone shares in the decision-making and identifies with the result.
How old do Hutterite children go to kindergarten?
Raising Children. Hutterite children enter kindergarten about age three , where they learn to pray, obey, and get along with others.
What is the Hutterite worldview?
Beliefs that Foster Peacefulness. The Hutterite worldview is based on respect for the authority of God. God has established a hierarchy of relationships, with the lower always obeying the higher—the younger person obeys the older, the woman the man, and man obeys God.
What are the problems of the Hutterites?
But there is an emotional cost to their style of socialization: depression, anxiety, and alcoholism are problems in many colonies. Human relations in the colonies sometimes lack warmth and spontaneity—people may tend to suppress emotions, avoid intimacy, and keep silent in order to maintain their nonviolence. Their regular release from suppression and avoidance consists of interruptions in routines, such as family outings and singing festivals.
Why do colonists buy goods in their towns?
Likewise, the colony often purchases goods in the local towns rather than a larger, more distant, city so that people in their area realize the economic importance of their presence.
What are the problems of colonial socialization?
But there is an emotional cost to their style of socialization: depression, anxiety, and alcoholism are problems in many colonies. Human relations in the colonies sometimes lack warmth and spontaneity—people may tend to suppress emotions, avoid intimacy, and keep silent in order to maintain their nonviolence.
