Ancestral Russia lures land-hungry Mexican Mennonites

[Adsos Letter]

I don't have much of anything in the way of comments on this. It's an interesting story, but I was more taken by the title.

Just thought I'd share.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/06/us-mexico-mennonites-idUSBRE8B516520121206

[Kali]

1. interesting, thanks for posting that

I have met a few Chihuahua Mennonites - My German friend and I try to get to the Casas Grandes area at least once a year since the mid 90s. It is always fun when she tries to engage them in conversation. They are shocked to have a woman start speaking German. And like the article says, she can barely understand them. Some of the men speak High German along with Spanish so they can communicate. But the contrast of cultures is so fascinating.

Chihuahua is so interesting. Totally blows the Mexican uniformity stereotype out of the water.

[Adsos Letter]

4. I had somehow thought that Mennonites were a home grown American religion.

Just demonstrates my ignorance.

Apparently there are also substantial populations in India, Ethiopia, and the Congo.

I admit to being taken by the title (good journalistic style there I suppose). "Mexican Mennonites," "Mexican Mennonites..." just kind of rolls off the tongue.

Thanks for your post.

[DURHAM D]

7. You may find this interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volga_Germans

btw Had the migration of the Volga or German-Russian farmers to the midwest not happened the great plains may have been a great farming failure. They brought a variety of wheat from Russia commonly referred to as Red, Russian, Hard or Winter wheat that was more suited to the climate than the soft wheat they were trying to grow.

As my grandfather used to say - "Those Ruskies changed everything". He appreciated the fact that they brought a hardy wheat variety but he also hated the tumbleweed seeds that were mixed in with the wheat or flax and became a real problem. He always referred to tumbleweeds as Russian thistles. Well actually, so do I.

[Adsos Letter]

8. A nation built/fueled by immigration has some potential advantages.

E Pluribus Unum, and all that.

Thanks for the insights!

[Kali]

9. when we first started going down there

they were very much like the Amish, used horse and buggy, sold their own cheese, would ride a bus or catch a ride in a vehicle but not drive. Now they drive and use cell phones, and hire non-mennonite Mexicans to man their roadside cheese stands. A few years ago some Canadian missionaries who were modern came and were working at their mission store in Casas Grandes. They spoke English so I finally got to be part of the conversations LOL.

Many of the Chihuahua Mennonites started leaving, going to South America when the trend to modernize started getting too uncomfortable for them. This article mentioned a water rights fight with a group called the Barzonistas. I had not heard of them so googled. The first thing in English that I found was a blog by a Canadian writer who grew up Mennonite, he is doing a book on the Mennonite culture - but he currently riding a motorcycle to Argentina. I think I am going to be distracted for a while reading his archives!

http://www.camerondueck.com/

[cbayer]

2. Fascinating. I had no idea that there was this population in Mexico.

Thanks for the article.

[Adsos Letter]

6. They apparently have large populations in India, Ethiopia, and the Congo too.

Knowing so little about them I was really drawn in by the title; "Ancestral Russia," "Mexican," and "Mennonite" aren't terms I expect to see in the same sentence.

Sometimes it's nice to catch a break from the usual sturm und drang around here.

[DURHAM D]

3. Great article. Thanks for posting.

I think the Volga Germans would be crazy to go back to Russia.

I remember in the mid 20th century when several Russian German Mennonite families migrated from the midwest to Mexico. One of the reasons they left was the requirement that they must allow their female children to go to school. However, the availability of farmland was probably the biggest factor. Many of those same families returned later because of general unrest.

[Adsos Letter]

5. Their high esteem for farming

and their ability to wring a bounty from marginal land probably has something to do with their settlement in places like Ethiopia, the Congo, and India.

I'm glad you enjoyed the article. Sometimes it's nice to catch a break from the normal sturm und drang around here.

[dimbear]

10. Sounds like they're getting a bit desperate, willing to do anything that doesn't involve

responsible reproduction.