The small Central American country of Belize has a population of around 250,000 people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds; of this population around 10,000 of its permanent residents are Mennonites whose ancestors originated from Europe. The Mennonites mostly live in small often isolated communities most of which shun modern lifestyles preferring not to use electricity or machinery in their self supporting farming methods.

As well as the traditionalist Mennonites who speak a guttural form of German within their community there are around 2,000 Belizeans of Mestizo and Creole origins that have converted to this faith. The Belizean Mennonites are the most conservative and traditional of all the Mennonites to be found across Central America.

The religious values and traditions of this dedicated group of people have had to avoid several forms of persecution throughout history as they sought peaceful methods to continue with the beliefs and values they have maintained throughout their existence. The Mennonites began in 16th century in what is now the Netherlands, they moved on to Prussia to avoid having to pay taxes they deemed unnecessary as they worked hard to maintain a religious and self supporting lifestyle while taking nothing from which the taxes would provide them with.

They remained in Eastern Europe until the 1870's when the ruling government at that time insisted on the Mennonites being conscripted into the military, being devout pacifists they moved once again to protect their strong beliefs. They next settled in parts of Canada's isolated regions of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta until after the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. Amid a feeling of anti-German sentiment the government of Canada insisted on English being taught in all its schools in a period of post war patriotism, further to this the Canadian government was considering introducing conscription to include the Mennonites, a reversal of its earlier policy.

On leaving Canada they headed south to Mexico, they settled in the undeveloped highlands region, a harsh barren landscape until then unsettled. All was ok until the 1950's when the Mexican government insisted on the groups entering into the social security program, once again against their wishes it was time to move on. They first Mennonites arrived in what was then British Honduras in 1958, around 3,500 of them and for the first time they found a country that was happy to accommodate them. Even today Belize is largely under populated, the new arrivals were industrious and knowledgeable farmers and for the first time Belizeans could buy home grown produce including eggs and poultry that until then had always been imported.

They have now been settled in Belize for over fifty years and although many of the communities use horse drawn power to operate the ploughs and saw mills or water power from rivers to run light machinery the traditional groups will not use electricity or motor vehicles, choosing instead to travel on horse drawn covered wagons along dirt roads between their communities.

In 2009 I was last in Belize and have seen firsthand the farming methods employed within this faith, the furniture makers that will as a community make a secure wooden house or sell and construct one for their near neighbours of any religion or belief.

In contrast to the traditional Mennonites is a community of so called modern Mennonites in the small town of Spanish Lookout, Belize that has modernized its community to provide services not just locally but nationally. It is a community of almost 1,800 that while traditional costume is mostly worn and religious beliefs are strictly maintained they operate stores, light industry and Belize's only oil field currently in production.

Spanish Lookout is located to the north of the Western Highway a few miles to the east of San Ignacio. Several roads take you to the settlement that resembles a 1950's style small town in rural USA. One route to enter the town is via a hand operated ferry to cross the Belize River, one of only two in use in the country. It can carry several cars or one truck and takes around ten minutes to slowly cross the river. On occasion long lines of vehicles can be seen with drivers waiting patiently to cross.

Spanish Lookout is one of Belize's more modern centres with technology evident across the community. It specializes in providing auto parts, with a chain of auto stores across Belize all Mennonite owned and operated. It is the provider of most of the country's chicken and the only commercial dairy within the country. The two extremes of the Mennonite communities can be a point of conflict for some traditionalists to accept but those that do shun modern lifestyles seem content and happy that they are living in an ideal location and not likely to be moved on from here.

SOURCE

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Belize: Mennonites

Compared to many of its Latin American neighbours, Belize is a peaceful country where a diverse mix of communities is free to prosper. Prominent among them are the Mennonites, originally protestants fleeing persecution in Western Europe hundreds of years ago. But the Mennonites themselves are a diverse group and have not always been welcomed by indigenous people.

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Mennonites in Belize form different religious bodies and come from different ethnic backgrounds. There are groups of Mennonites living in Belize, who are quite traditional and conservative in Shipyard and Upper Barton Creek, while others have modernized ... Thousands of younger Belizean born Mennonites have been excommunicated from the old backward racist church. Belizean mennonites are slowly becoming free Belizeans... In my days as a kid in Belize, Mennonites did not drink, smoke,party, listen to music,take pictures or nothing of that sort. Oh how things have changed... The most weird scenario- I was visiting a village in Belize and i saw a couple dozen Negroes dressed and behaving just like the Traditional old school mennonites, oh what a site that was... If you were already a Christian Methodist, why in God's name would you feel a need to be converted? I have seen Mestizo/Mayan being converted to Belize Mennonite way of life.

A huge benefit to Belize!

Sometimes I really miss Encyclopedia Britannica, where they check facts and get the info correct. Mennonites are Anabaptists; some went straight to the States in the 1700's and some the round about way thru Russia, Canada and then down. Blue Creek Mennonites have also carved out an important role in food production. But why muddy up the story above?

Seriously Old School

Imagine large families where everyone works hard, contributes and there are no surly teenagers. Every meal is made from scratch, the milk, cream and butter are fresh and all the vegetables are grown by you or your neighbors. Those vegetables are canned at harvest time (in mason jars), stored in the basement and brought up to the kitchen (complete with a wood burning stove) as needed. Sometimes a couple of families get together and slaughter a cow, divide it up and they "can" that too. Meals are events where everyone eats together, talks about their day and shares stories and laughter. The family cart (buggy) is drawn by the horses that also pull the plow and any other heavy thing that needs pulling like the trees used to make the lumber for your house. If a neighbor is in need the people come together and meet the need, maybe help build a house or assist with the crops. Most births happen at home with the help of a midwife from the community. Of course there is no television or video games and the home is well lit by bright kerosene lanterns in the brief period between darkness and bed time. There is no alcoholism, drug addiction or divorce and most everyone is prosperous. Where and when is this place? Is Andy Griffith the sheriff?

I live next to a community of Mennonites in Upper Barton Creek here in Belize and what I've described is an accurate picture of their life. We have a close relationship with the two families that live nearest to us and we know many other families in their community of about 250. I have spent a considerable amount of time with them in many different circumstances and they are intelligent, open, friendly and quick to laugh. They have helped me get my truck unstuck (more than once), build a cabana, tend to our horses, build 2 outhouses, haul supplies, clear trees after a storm, work in our orchard and more. During the harvest they sell us their excellent produce at wholesale prices and through the years we have bought many things from them including chickens, eggs, cows, whole milk, cream, butter, pies, cakes, muffins, chocolate, honey, fruit, granola, bread, lumber, kerosene, lanterns, umbrellas, knives and more. Like any good neighbor they are always there if we need to borrow an item or two and like good neighbors they never ask us to borrow anything (though I have rushed a few to the hospital).

There are several sects of Mennonites here in Belize, they are all Christian and believe the Bible is the word of God. Some are far more conservative than others and their beliefs about the use of technology vary widely. For example there is another community nearby that drive vehicles, use giant John Deer combines and quite a few of them have motorcycles. After seeing a group of motorcycle riding Mennonites my daughter remarked that she didn't know Mennonites were allowed to be cool. I think they are not allowed to strive for cool, but that doesn't mean they can't be cool. What all the sects have in common is that they work hard, do what they do very well and it is generally accepted that when doing business with them you'll get a superior product at a fair price.

The history of the Mennonites dates back to the time of the church reformation when they split with other reformists primarily on the issue of pacifism. Despite the violent persecution those Christians were subjected to they believed that the scriptures taught they were not to resist or retaliate. This is another character they all share today, they do not resist or retaliate. They will not fight or go to court. Because of this belief they are often preyed upon & bullied by the scourge of society, it happens right here in our valley, often.

Unlike some of the Amish in the US there is no situation here where the youth go off into "the world" for a year for a taste of wild living. Young Mennonite people here socialize some evenings at "Youth Sings" at their church. They choose for themselves who they will marry and only do so when they are well established with a home and a working farm and everything it takes to equip both. There is no set age for them to wed and most of them wait longer than I did. If a young man is interested in a young lady he will inform his parents, they will inform her parents who will inform her. She will relay her interest, or lack of, back through the same process. The courting process is then slow and supervised and weddings are a large affair attended by everyone in the community.

The boys and young men sometimes show up at our place during flooding and ride the swollen and violent creek on inner tubes. I once jumped into a large and dangerous whirlpool created by our flooding creek to help my neighbor wrangle a couple of giant wayward logs. He had previously cut them upstream and had been waiting for a flood to float them down to their hydro powered sawmill. The flood came and the logs were swept down but were trapped in the whirlpool with other debris carried along by the now giant creek. Swirling around in the churning water alongside thousands of pounds of debris it took us the better part of an hour to get ropes on these giants and drag them over to more reasonable water. We lashed these two 12 foot long monsters together and were about to send them on their way downstream when my wife said, "You guys should ride them down." It seemed entirely unreasonable given the violent state of the flooded creek but since I am a former Hooyah Navy Deep Sea Diver and he was a strapping 22 year old farm boy (who I once saw kill a large steer with a single blow of a sledgehammer) we grabbed a couple of canoe paddles and rode that contraption until we were thrown from it. After delivering the Huck Finn raft on steroids to the mill we went further upstream to retrieve other logs he had dropped.

Recently I spent 4 or 5 hours in the jungle, at night, with some Mennonite men trying to locate lost hikers. Two young ladies had gone hiking and lost their way, as darkness was setting in I approached my neighbors and asked for three of the younger men to help me try to find them. Some of the young men were at a meeting and a few others were off hunting so we put together a more senior delegation of mostly graying men. About 8 of us set off and were soon joined by 5 of the others who had been hunting and received word of the search. We split up into two groups, penetrated into the dark jungle and eventually found the girls about a hundred yards off the trail. They were, of course, relieved to see us and quite surprised to see a dozen Mennonite men in the jungle searching for them. Not only were my neighbors ready and willing to help, but they were able as well. They were all very competent in the jungle.

Last year I asked my neighbor if he would be willing to come and speak to a group of university students we brought in to do some community service work. He is a leader in the community and brought another leader with him. They spoke of their history, where they were from, how they came to Belize and why they live the way they do. Why they live they way they do, this is not a question I had ever asked before and I was interested to hear him explain it.

These gentlemen told us that they are not caught up with the concerns of the rest of the world. Their lives are focused on what they believe to be important, a relationship with God, raising their families and living in peace. They do not necessarily view technology as evil, it is more of a distraction that takes the focus away from what is important. While a large farm tractor, for example, might enable them to farm more land they are not interested in the additional pressure of purchasing and maintaining such a device. How much more would a family have to produce to have things which would enable them to produce more? They have what they need. Working the land the way they do is hard work but it is simple and pure. It provides for them nicely and they do it as a family. Parents work side by side with their children in the fields and at home. They raise their children and do not turn them over to others to be raised. There is no pursuit of things. The lifestyle itself is the reward. Working hard, loving your family and worshiping God with your life.

It was a powerful message delivered by impressive men who made sense. Many of the students were visibly touched and some told me afterwards how it had provoked them to consider their own lives. In a materialistic world of broken homes and an unwinnable rat race the ideals these men discussed seemed reasonable to young university students, as they did to me.

I meet a lot of environmentally conscious young people here at Barton Creek Outpost. People wanting to live "green" and "sustainably" but the 500 or so Mennonites here in my area are the real deal. They are truly old school and it is not a passing fad. I suspect all of them put together generate the carbon footprint of an 8 year old boy in the suburbs of North America. I admire many things about the people in this community and the fact that they are committed to a lifestyle that takes little and gives much is something we can all learn from. I don't know that I could live that life but I have great respect for those that do and I see things in the way they live their lives that make me want to be a better man.

Source

Thanks you - well written and much needed ideals.

Thanks Katie - "just the facts" ....... which are far more interesting than half-accurate stories.

Spanish Lookout (Belize) History

A video documentary of life in Spanish Lookout, Belize, from 1958 to 2008. Including Mennonite history.

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MENNONITE COMMUNITY AT SPANISH LOOKOUT

VIDEO: Mennonites history of Belize

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The Agreement between British Honduras and the Mennonites

Mennonites mark 60 years in Belize

Sixty years ago, Mennonites from Chihua�hua, Mexico, crossed the Belize River and landed at a flat area now called the Mennonite Beach. What the settlers saw in 1958 was a dense rain forest on land they purchased to make into farms. Today, the drive to Mennonite Beach in Spanish Lookout passes fertile fields of beans and corn and cattle in pastureland.

This year is the 60th anniversary of the arrival of Mennonites in Belize and the settlement in Spanish Lookout. The first settlers cleared the land and built homes, churches and schools. Many of the original settlers still live there, and they describe the difficult years in the beginning when life was hard and families with more resources shared with those who had less.

Tina Dueck and her family enjoy a picnic at the Mennonite Beach on the Belize River in Spanish Lookout, where the first Mennonite settlers from Chihuahua, Mexico, crossed the Belize River. - Gary Smucker

Many of the Mennonites living in Belize today share a heritage with others whose ancestors went through the Russian Empire before emigrating to the Western Hemisphere.

Persecution in Holland and opportunities elsewhere drew them east, where Catherine the Great invited them and other German speakers to settle in Ukraine beginning in 1789. When political instability made life in Ukraine dangerous, they moved to Canada. Hoping for more control over their lives, they negotiated a move to Mexico. In 1957 leaders came to British Honduras (now Belize) to explore options there.

Spanish Lookout has become a thriving agricultural and business community. The Spanish Lookout online business directory lists 45 businesses. Caribbean Tire and Western Dairies are two examples of Mennonite-owned businesses thriving with branches around the country. Cattle, dairy, egg and poultry production thrive. Crops including corn and beans, and fruit and vegetables, grow on farms and in gardens.

Many people in the surrounding communities work on the farms and in businesses. Development of petroleum extraction in Spanish Lookout has resulted in money for infrastructure projects such as building roads. But not everyone is happy with oil wells' impact on the environment or society.

Structured communities

Among the Mennonite colonies in Belize, Spanish Lookout has accommodated to modern life more than others. Motor vehicles, telephones, computers and internet for business and modern banking are accepted, but there is a culture of keeping traditions such as special attire and simple living.

Plautdietsch, or Low German, is used at home and work. High German is used for church and school. Schooling stops in the early teens, and young people are expected to work on farms or in businesses. Many people speak English and Spanish as well as Plautdietsch.

A 20-minute drive from Spanish Lookout is a different kind of Mennonite community. Upper Barton Creek and Lower Barton Creek are a unique Anabaptist community, where people have made choices to live simple and separate lives.

It is one of the few places where people from both the Holland-Poland-Ukraine and Swiss-German Mennonite lines have joined together. In Upper Barton Creek, Pennsylvania Dutch speakers from the United States and Plautdietsch speakers from Belize live without electricity, engines, motors or other modern technology, including photos of people.

Driving in a car in Lower Barton Creek seems out of place. The rest of the people are moving at a horse-drawn buggy pace. Gardens and fields cultivated by horse and plow are productive, with beautiful produce.

Critics say the people live by rules, without spirituality. Talking with several people gave the impression they are committed Christians following the Anabaptist way. Specific rules and restrictions are less important to them than being part of a group of people who accept the discipline of the community as a radical commitment to a simple, dedicated and shared lifestyle.

Spiritual life

One of the original settlers in Lower Barton Creek, 73-year-old Walter Friesen, enthusiastically showed us his workshop, where he does wood and metal work without power tools. He made the workshop under a large thatch roof palapa he built. He saves work using the bench saw for the days his grandsons are around to turn the handle that makes the saw spin. As he moves around the shop, Friesen speaks English in a Belizean Creole accent, making humorous comments and quoting Bible passages that support his practices.

Spiritual life is a part of everyday life in Spanish Lookout. In the home of Tina and Menno Dueck, the children and grandchildren start the day with reading a chapter in German from the New Testament and singing an English song from the hymnal. They are singing through the hymnal, a song every day. Discussion is often about moral or religious issues and living the Christian life.

'A world different'

The 2000 Belize census recorded roughly 12,000 Mennonites, including children and unbaptized adults. The 2015 Mennonite World Conference census counted 5,405 baptized members. Based on the 12,000 figure, Mennonites make up 3.7 percent of Belize's population of 324,000, according to the 2010 census.

In addition to Plaut�dietsch speakers, there are churches of Spanish or Creole speakers that resulted from Mennonite mission efforts. Some Spanish-speaking Mennonites moved to Belize from Mexico, and a community of Mennonites from El Salvador settled in Belize to escape the civil war there, making Mennonite communities in Belize quite diverse.

People leave the communities for medical reasons, business or work. Even in seaside resorts, Mennonites are in evidence. Families and couples travel to enjoy the sea, and young men sometimes work outside their communities.

Belize has been good to the Mennonites, and the Mennonites are good for Belize. Mennonite farms supply most of the nation's eggs, poultry and dairy products.

Though the Mennonite colonies are separate from the rest of the population, they provide many products the country needs and provide jobs.

They also add variety to the countryside. As the government tourism office and guidebooks advise: "Visit the Mennonite communities. They are a world different from the rest of Belize."

Mennonite World Review

A Simple Life
Mennonites living in Belize exist apart from the government, with limited technology and surrounded by farmable land. When Mennonites began moving to Belize in the late 1950s, they did so for the same reason their ancestors have migrated for centuries: to live in line with their religious beliefs, including the separation of church and state, pacifism and sustainability, without interference. That means apart from the government, with limited technology and surrounded by farmable land.

Mennonites, a traditionally sectarian Christian denomination, trace their roots to the Anabaptist wing of the Protestant Reformation. Today they number approximately one million worldwide, with most living in parts of the developing world, including Paraguay, India and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Those in Belize, called Old Colony Mennonites, descend from the settlers of Chortitza, the earliest Mennonite colony in Russia. Their ancestors moved from the Netherlands and what is now Poland to Russia in the 1780s, then to Canada in the 1870s, Mexico in the 1920s and, a few decades later, Belize.

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History of the Mennonites in Belize

Belize is truly a melting pot of cultures including Mayan, Spanish, Garifuna, English, East Indian, Chinese, and Mennonite.

Many people are surprised to hear that Belize is home to a thriving Mennonite population of over 10,000 of Russian descent. Approximately 2,000 Mennonites are converts from local communities.
The first Mennonites came to Belize in 1957 as part of a diplomatic mission. These Mennonites, who emigrated from various Canadian locations, came to Belize (British Honduras) from Chihuahua, Mexico, where they had been living for many years.

They met with then Premiere of the country and father of Belize, George C. Price, to discuss making this tiny country their new home. In return for allowing them to stay in Belize, the Mennonites brought with them large-scale agriculture which there was a great need for in the country at the time. George Price granted them the freedom to live and farm, freedom to practice their religion, and a promise that their children would not be required to serve in the armed forces. As such, in 1958, the first colony of Mennonites was established in Spanish Lookout, located approximately 34 kilometers from what is now the capital city of Belmopan.

Today, there are ten Mennonite communities throughout Belize: Spanish Lookout, Upper and Lower Barton Creek, and Springfield, all located in the Cayo District; Little Belize in the Corozal District; Shipyard, Blue Creek, Indian Creek, and Neuland, all situated in the Orange Walk District; and Pine Hill in the Toledo District. These communities vary in their orientation, from very conservative (no electricity, transportation by horse and buggy) to modern (use of cars and other modern conveniences). The Mennonites in Barton Creek, Springfield, and Pine Hill are on the very conservative and traditional end, while the Spanish Lookout and Blue Creek Mennonites tend to be on the more modern side.

Amid the modern clothing of Belizeans and visitors, Mennonites are easily spotted and identified by their "old-fashioned" clothing. Women traditionally wear long dresses with an apron and a hat or bonnet, while men wear black pants or overalls, checkered shirts, and hats.

The majority of the ethnic Mennonites in Belize speak both Plautdietsch, a Low German dialect for everyday life, and English, primarily used for business purposes. There are a small number of conservative Mennonites who speak Pennsylvania German instead of Plautdietsch. Standard German is used for teaching and reading the Bible, in schools, and church.

Mennonites have a strong farming tradition, and because of this, Belizeans throughout the country benefit from the sale of Mennonite produce, meat and dairy products. Most Mennonite farming is organic. Their main crops include potatoes, corn, beans, tomatoes, watermelons, carrots, papaya, cabbage, and sweet peppers. Belize's main egg hatchery, Friesen Hatcheries and Quality Poultry Products in Spanish Lookout, supplies the country with fresh chicken and eggs, while Western Dairy Farms is one of Belize's largest producers of milk, cheese, and other dairy products. There are also many cottage industries in Mennonite communities, where you can purchase local honey, cheeses, and crafts

In addition to their farming skills, Mennonites are known to be wonderfully skilled carpenters, particularly those from the Shipyard and Blue Creek communities. It is very common to see wooden houses skillfully and quickly assembled throughout the country, and beautiful Mennonite made wood furniture. While driving through Mennonite communities on the mainland, you are bound to see numerous Mennonite owned furniture and construction companies. It is worth stopping in if you are in the market for well made, handcrafted wooden furniture.

If you are interested in learning more about the Mennonite Communities, be sure to take a trip out to one of the larger communities to experience the Mennonite culture. While visiting, you may feel like you have stepped out of Belize and into Pennsylvania with their rolling green hills, neatly manicured farms, and freshly paved roads.

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The Mennonites of Belize


The Mennonites - Living in a Perfect World
The documentary tells the stories of four traditional Mennonites (Aganetha, Cornelio, Pedro and Jacobo) living in two different communities. The colonies of El Sabinal and El Capulin are settled in the Mexican state of Chihuahua and look like typical communities of conservative so-called "Russian" Mennonites, who formed as an ethnic group in southern Russia, but who are of Dutch and German ancestry and language. These German-speaking Mennonites have a long history of migrations, beginning in the Netherlands, where the group originated, to the then mostly German-speaking area around Danzig (see also: Vistula delta Mennonites) and from there to Russia (see also: Chortitza Colony and Molotschna Colony, then to Canada and from there to Mexico in search of a place where they can freely practice their religion and speak Plautdietsch, an East Low German dialect of the German language. The four protagonists are longing for their perfect world in balance between tradition and modernity: The colony of El Sabinal lives in isolation and rejects any modern technology, whereas the colony of El Capulin begins to accept innovations such as electricity and cars. The more orthodox members of the community will migrate to the Bolivian rainforest.


Mennonites in Belize | Old Colony | Documentary
Old Colony Mennonites arrived in 1958 and settled in northern Belize. Their communities have grown to the point where families are now looking for settlements in other countries such as Peru.

Below is the agreement between the Governor of British Honduras and the mennonites upon arrival in the 1950's.



The Agreement with British Honduras

On December 18, 1957, the government of British Hon-duras finally extended to each of the three groups, the Altkolonier, the Sommerfelder, and the Kleine Gemeinde, a uniformly worded Privilegium 8 that was satisfactory to them in all respects. That is-sued to the Altkolonier read as follows:

And whereas such settlements will be to the mutual advantage of British Honduras and of the Mennonites:

And whereas it is desirable that there should be some Instrument setting forth in general terms the conditions under which the Mennonites will be permitted to settle in British Honduras:

Now Therefore This Agreement Witnesseth as follows-

1. The Government of British Honduras will grant to the Mennonites-
(a) the right to run their own Churches and schools, with their own teachers, in their own German language, according to their own religion;
(b) exemption from making the customary immigration de-posits;
(c) protection of life and property in Peace and War;
(d) entire exemption from any military service;
(e) the privilege of affirming with the simple "yes" or "no" in-stead of making oaths in or out of the Courts;
(f) freedom of movement, according to law, to enter or leave the country with their money and property;
(g) the right to administer and invest the estates of their people, especially those of widows and orphans, in their own "Trust System," called the "Waisenamt," according to their own rules and regulations;
(h) the right to bring into British Honduras the old, infirm and invalid members of the Mennonite community provided that the individuals do not become a charge on the Govern-ment of British Honduras;
(i) exemption from any social security or compulsory system of insurance.

2. The Mennonites will-
(a) pay all costs and expenses incurred in establishing their settlement;
(b) bring into British Honduras capital investment in cash and kind amounting to five hundred thousand dollars more or less British Honduras currency.
(c) produce food not only for themselves but for local consump-tion and for the export market;
(d) conduct themselves as good citizens, and subject to this agreement, observe and obey the laws of British Honduras;
(e) pay all normal duties, taxes, fees and charges by law estab-lished, such as customs duty, land tax, estate duty, property tax and income tax.

3. It is understood and agreed that the privileges granted by the government shall be enjoyed by the Mennonites and their des-cendants for all time so long as the Mennonites observe and ful-fill the conditions imposed upon them by this agreement.

In Witness Whereof the parties hereto have signed two identical copies of this Instrument this 18th day of December, 1957.

Signed for and on behalf of the Government of British Honduras.
Witness: Sir Colin H. Thornley GOVERNOR

Signed for and on behalf of the Reinland Mennonite Church.
Witness: Franz D. Rempel Jacob J. Wiebe H. W. Wiebe Johan C. Wolfe

The Mennonites - a trip back in time | DW Documentary
A documentary on the German-speaking Mennonites of Little Belize.

Like the Amish in the US, the Mennonite Christian community shuns the modern world. Most Mennonites live in secluded, self-sufficient colonies. We get a rare glimpse into the life of a devout and isolated community.

The Mennonites embrace isolation, which in their eyes helps protect them from the temptations of the modern world. At first glance, time seems to have stood still in the Mennonite colony in Belize, where people still travel by horse-drawn carriage and do without conveniences such as televisions and electricity. They still speak an old form of the German dialect Plattdeutsch. But modern life is slowly making inroads in Little Belize. Wilhelm, the community's former doctor, was expelled for owning a mobile phone. Fearing that their community was being tainted, some more traditional members decided to found a new colony in a remote jungle in Peru, where they hope to live according to old customs and religious beliefs. For the first time ever, a camera team was granted access to one of Central and South America's traditional Mennonite colonies.