It may look like a scene
from a bygone era, but these young people are part of a
community in present day Central America. They belong to a Christian
group known as Mennonites. Ultra-conservative Protestants
who eschew the modern world. Here in the schoolhouse, girls sit
on one side, boys on the other. They’re reciting passages from
the Bible in Old High German. This morning, the youngest children
are learning the alphabet. Look at the letter
I’m pointing to. The older children are
reading the New Testament, printed in Fraktur, a
traditional German script. They are not taught history,
geography or foreign languages. The Bible is their
only textbook. I teach them to read, sing, pray,
recite poetry, write, count? that’s it. The children begin their schooling
at age 6 and finish when they’re 13. Long enough to
learn the basics. But this is how we learn
from when I went to school and when my father and my grandfather went
to school. That’s how we always have it. No universities, not any high
school, college or anything. Our studying is practicing by learning
and seeing what our father is doing. After he finished school, Abram
became a blacksmith, like his father. He has 20 children. 3 of his 60
grandchildren are pupils in this class. Mennonites believe children are
a blessing directly from God. Blue-eyed
blondes abound. Originating from Germany, the
Netherlands and Switzerland, the Mennonites fled
Europe 250 years ago and some eventually settled
in Central and South America. Devout Anabaptists, they strictly
adhere to the doctrine of Menno Simons, a 16th century
Dutch priest. They lead lives full of
rigour and discipline. There are over two million
Mennonites worldwide, but only a fraction are
Old Order Mennonites. Virtually self-sufficient,
they live in settlements with their own schools,
churches and trades. This isolation shields them
from modern- day temptations. Now one colony of this secluded community has
agreed to be filmed for this documentary. Life in this religious group
revolves around the Bible. Everything is predetermined — right
down to the color of their clothes. You just have to wear
these kinds of dresses. It’s against our religion if
you wear different clothes. The rules are very strict. Breaking
them can have severe consequences. If people don’t obey the
Church, we must shun them. Yet the temptations
are many. A few months ago, Franz brought home
a forbidden object: a smartphone. I know the reality. Now
I do not feel guilty. I see there are so many
good things in it! Behind the serene facade,
some members are rebelling. They’re challenging the community’s
most fundamental doctrines. Wilhelm is one
of the shunned. In their mind, a cell phone is made by
Satan. Can Satan do anything? Nothing! Abram, on the other hand,
is averse to change. That’s why he and several other
families plan to set up a new colony in an even more remote part of the
world - the heart of the Amazon. You have to start anew! That’s
starting from zero to grow. So, who are the Mennonites? And why
do they flee modern civilization? Is it even possible to escape the
contemporary world in this day and age? We take a closer look at one of the 21st
century’s most cloistered communities. Our journey begins in Central
America, on the western edge of the turquoise waters
of the Caribbean Sea. Situated between Mexico and
Guatemala is the country of Belize. The former British colony has an
extremely diverse population. Among its over 400,000 inhabitants
are Mestizos, Creoles and Maya. Most of the Mennonites
live further inland. Hidden away in the countryside
is Little Belize, an Old Order colony
established in the 1970s. Time seems to have stood still here.
Cars are forbidden. Horse-drawn buggies are
used to get around. Mennonites are not used to
having contact with outsiders. They’re not hostile, but somewhat
perturbed by our presence. They don’t know what to
make of our cameras. Some even hide their
faces, like this woman. Is it possible to go there
with you and to film there? We don’t allow that because
people get frightened. And young ladies, when they get
pregnant, they get sick and so on. When they
are filmed? Yes, when they are filmed, because they
are frightened. They are not used to it. That’s the
reason. Conservative Mennonites
spurn modern technology. But a few are open-minded — like
Franz, who’s agreed to talk to us. I am born here, and I am raised
here the whole of my life. I have never been somewhere else.
It’s my home. Home country. I like it out here, I like the culture and
everything. It’s beautiful. I enjoy my life. Franz is 36 years old. He lives on
this farm, which he built himself. He and his wife Elizabeth
have 7 children. 15-year-old twins Anna and
Katarina are the eldest. Agatha is 13, and
Elizabeth 10. Abraham and Peter
are 6 and 8. And Sarah, the youngest,
is 4 years old. They’re a typical Mennonite family. Most
have 7-12 children. They live a simple life. A few fields, a chicken coop and a couple
of cows are enough to keep the family fed. The girls tend to
the livestock. Don’t pour it all on the same side.
Put some here, and some there. Franz works from home.
He’s a mechanic. In his workshop, he repairs machinery for
customers from outside the community. He earns around $500
a month on average. His daughter Katarina
finished school 2 years ago. Since then, she’s been
working with her father. We have only girls. That’s why
she has to do jobs like this. If we had boys, big
boys of that age, then she would have to work inside, and
the boys would have to do this job. This is probably
a job for boys! The roles in a Mennonite
household are clearly defined. The women take care of the home. They
do the cooking, cleaning and laundry. They also sew clothes
for the entire family. And that, too, is
governed by strict rules. When Elizabeth needs more
fabric, she goes shopping. There’s no sign or advertisement
to indicate that it is a store and the choices
here are limited. This one is too
dark for me. This one’s
pretty! Nice for the
younger girls. The brighter colors are reserved
for the younger girls’ dresses; the darker fabrics are
for the married women. The men are to wear straw hats,
and checked or striped shirts. Half a metre
will do. Everything is
precisely specified. Do you see any big difference
between these two? Elizabeth only speaks Low German, a
dialect used primarily by Mennonites. Her sister-in-law Margareth,
however, also speaks English and she fills us in on
some of the customs. Yes, we have learned it
like that since my parents, my grandparents, my
great grandparents. We just keep it like that. It’s
been like that all the time. You cannot wear
what you want? No, you just have to wear
these kinds of dresses. It’s against the religion if you
wear all kinds of different clothes. You don’t have any
rings or jewellery? No, nothing at all.
No makeup, nothing. No makeup? Makeup
is forbidden also? Yes, it is
forbidden. Why? I don’t know. All Mennonites
just have it like that. Do you like it
like that or? We don’t know anything else!
We have to! Material for two dresses and a
shirt for what amounts to ?8. There’s no excessive
spending. Mennonites lead a life so austere it’s
almost monastic, void of distractions: no music, no sports,
and no television. The closest they come to a moment of
leisure is in church every Sunday. We were asked not
to film there. A community leader has agreed
to meet and talk with us. William is something like the colony’s
mayor. He, too, has 7 children. In order to give us a better
understanding of their beliefs, he invites us to his
home for dinner. The only source of light is a single oil
lamp. The house has no electricity. The furnishings are sparse. There
are no pictures on the walls. Only the bare
minimum. Let us
pray. The girls sit on both
sides of the table, while William sits at the head,
and his son at the other end. The meal is eaten
in silence. It’s a practice Mennonites
have followed for centuries. Tonight’s dinner consists of beans,
a vegetable soup and sausages. Life as it was lived
in the 19th century. The Bible says that to
be accepted into Heaven, we're not allowed to have any modern things,
like TVs, telephones, computers or cars. We are taught to
renounce modernity. When certain people do not want to obey
the church, then we must shun them. They can no longer take
part in community life. The law is
explicit: either you abide by the rules, or you
are banished from the community. A lot has changed since the Mennonites came
and founded a colony here half a century ago. This used to be
nothing but jungle. Now, the colony is spread out over 100km²
and boasts nearly 3,000 inhabitants. When they built roads, they paved
the way for further development. In spite of their respect
for the doctrine, some believers find modern
conveniences hard to resist. For Franz, it all began when he
had to buy a phone for work. He’s taking a huge risk
by showing it to us. Before, when I saw a
phone or something, or if I had used it a little bit, I
feel very guilty. I feel very guilty. Now, I know the reality.
Now I do not feel guilty. I see there are so many
good things in it! Franz discovered the internet
- and a love for music! The rhythm of country & western
radically changed his family’s life. They are very fascinated. They
really like their new life. It’s a new lifestyle
for us, really. Before we had never any music, so
we could never have any pleasure. It’s a good
pleasure for them. And then abruptly, Franz
switches off his phone. There’s someone
coming? My brother
is coming. Franz, you must hide your phone
now because someone is coming? From my brother, yes, I have
to hide my phone because? Not really, but I don’t
like to see them mad. If they don’t see the phone
they will be more happy to me. So, maybe in the future they will
start to know more about the reality. Franz has to be careful
even around his brother. If anyone finds out that he has a
phone, he risks excommunication. This is what happened to Wilhelm, who used to
provide medical care for the families here. He lives next
door to Franz. Kind of a
surgery room. They sit down here, I sit down
here, and then I have a speech. If they have pain in their abdomen, I
would have them lay down, cover them up. All the people from the village
came here and sat here? Oh yeah, the preacher sat there!
Yeah. For 20 years, Wilhelm was
the community’s lay doctor, although he has no
formal training. His mother was a nurse and he taught
himself by studying medical textbooks. He bought a phone in
order to save lives. And I felt like I had to have it,
because there were so many accidents. I felt an obligation to call a
taxi or to call the doctors. I said that it was useful for me and I had
it, and they were complaining about that, and they wanted
me to lose it. And I said no. That decision cost him dearly. Because
he broke the rules, he lost everything. The day they knew they
would excommunicate me, the day before, I would say I
had about at least 60 patients. At least 60, that went on the whole
day up until late in the night. The next day I got excommunicated
and no one came again. So, it stops, from 60,
to overnight to zero. Since his expulsion, Wilhelm has
been shunned by the community. These days, he sells tires
an hour’s drive from home. He decided to found a new
non-conformist congregation within the conservative
community. Mennonites behind the wheel of
pick-up trucks! A surprising sight. They belong to the dozens of families
that now attend the new church. From all
appearances, these believers still seem to abide by the
traditional Mennonite codes of conduct. But on closer inspection, there
are undeniable signs of change. Even from the pulpit, the sermon
is read from a smartphone. There’s no Bible
to be seen. The Gospel of Matthew: The eleven
disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where
Jesus had sent them. When they saw him, they worshipped
him - but some doubted. Wilhelm instigated the
construction of the new church. So, cell phones
are allowed here? Oh yeah, they are allowed. Vehicles
are allowed, music is allowed; we are practicing
music. Yeah, that’s all allowed. Only
what is not allowed is drinking, and all that the
Bible says is wrong. This development troubles
more traditional Mennonites. They believe that
souls are being lost. Abram is one of those
traditionalists. He’s joining several other families
who’ve decided to leave Belize to set up a new colony in Peru: one
that’s more loyal to the Old Order. We will build a more traditional community
so that they will be more, more, more, I don’t know exactly how to explain
but the people, more conservative, more people
together. Abram, a farmer, will embark on the new
adventure with his wife and 7 children. Even though he’s invested a lot in
his life here in Little Belize. So, this is the house what I
had built at the first point. So, now I want to leave it, so
other people can use it now, if they want to change
and have a better one. They can have a new one. So,
that’s how I am thinking now. Now I want to sell it with
everything, and the land. For Abram, Peru represents the
promise of an even better life. The first point is, there, it sounds
like the soil and everything, it sounds better
to work there. And having more, more people in the town
who will buy us all the vegetables, and corn and soya and beans and
all the things what we produce. They will buy more so we could sell more of
what we produce. That will make us happier. Those moving to Peru are
preparing for their departure. That entails selling most
of their possessions. How much for this set of bowls? Do I hear 5
dollars? 2 dollars, 4 dollars over here. Jacob needs to sell
as much as he can. Whether it be a trash can or a
casserole dish, everything must go. I’m selling whatever I
can’t take with me. I’m selling the house, all the furniture,
all the things we used every day. All we’re taking is our buggy.
The rest will be sold. Every dollar counts. The money will go
toward constructing the new colony. The auction lasts
the whole day. One thing Abram wants to take
to Peru is farming equipment. 11 families are sharing the space
and cost of a shipping container. Take this
over there. There is a lot. We have to put everything
together, together, together until it fits. “Get back,
get back.” Only their most precious possessions
will make the trip to Peru. That includes tractors and
machinery needed to clear roads. The country has a few things, but they
are not big farmers in the country. So, that’s why we think about,
we can’t get it cheaper. We have it here, and we
carry it over there. It’s cheaper than if we buy
it from Brazil or anywhere. First to Belize
City, then by boat? Yes, by
boat. The container will arrive
two months after they do. There isn’t much room left, but Abram
has a surprise in store for his wife. He’s going to take their marriage bed:
the only reminder of their past life. This is the bed. So this
is what we have ready. Your wife wanted
to keep it? Yeah. My wife wanted
to keep this. She wants to keep the beds so that she
will be happy there. Not lose everything. She lose a big amount,
but not lose everything. It’s the evening before
their departure. Abram’s family is feeling apprehensive.
Especially his wife Elena. It will be difficult there. We had everything
here. We have to start all over again. At the moment, their biggest
fear is the flight. No one has been on
an airplane before. Are you afraid
of flying? Not yet. But I don’t know how
I’ll feel when I have to board. And you, Helen, how do you
feel about going to Peru? I’m really
excited! Really? Yes, I can’t
wait! We’ll see who gets
on the plane first! I don’t want
to be first! The time has come for
the family to go. Yeah, it’s a big movement. The biggest
one that I ever had in my life. Climb in,
boys! Abram’s parents want to see them off.
It’s not easy for his mother. This is the first time one of her
children has left the colony. Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine.
It’s all under control. I’m still
anxious. I understand. Goodbye, and
safe journey. Isaak, will
you visit us? Maybe in
April! 3 hours later, they arrive at
the airport in Belize City. They’re the first of the
group to get there. For Abram, this is when the
adventure truly begins. This is the first time that
I am taking the plane. That’s why I am telling my children,
now I am waiting 43 years, I want to go
with the plane. So, now my children are happy,
they can go with me together. Long time, when I see a jet in the air, [I
think]: Oh, when I will go, when I will go? It’s going
to be great! The rest of the group have also arrived.
7 families, 53 people in total. They’ve all bought one-way tickets.
No one plans to return. It’s time to
say goodbye. Abram’s parents came to the
airport to make the most of the last few moments
with the family. There are no hugs or kisses;
a simple handshake suffices. Everyone appears
calm and composed. But Abram’s mother can’t
quite hold back her tears. She doesn’t know if she’ll ever see
her son or grandchildren again. They’re taking a huge
leap into the unknown. The challenges begin
with the escalator. Are you
scared? No And you? No Are you
scared? Me neither,
this is fun! It’s a bit
shaky. Abram seems excited, but his
wife Elena is a little anxious. What’s
that? Clouds! Clouds? Yes,
clouds! We’re flying over clouds? I was
wondering why there was so much smoke! The journey
takes 24 hours. After a stopover in Panama, they
arrive in Lima, the capital of Peru. While waiting for their final flight to
Pucallpa, few can keep their eyes open. No one has slept much
since they left Belize. Lazy, lazy,
lazy. It’s a long
trip, huh? It’s a
long trip. The sprawling group of Mennonites
does not go unnoticed. The airport employee who checks
in their luggage is curious. She knows where they are
headed and asks them about it. Why’re you going
to Pucallpa? We want to
work there. Work? We bought land there and
we’re going to work it. What will
you grow? We’ll grow corn, beans, soya, melon,
cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. And we’ll keep
chickens. Where will your
children go to school? We’ll build a school. There isn’t
one there yet, but we’ll build one. I’m surprised. I didn’t think it
was possible to live out there. But I’m happy
for you! Are people always surprised a little bit?
They don’t know you, they ask questions? Yeah, a lot of people,
they are surprised. They look at us and so they are asking from
where are you coming? Where you want to go? So, what happens?
What’s going on? Because they
don’t know you? No, they don’t
know us. They look, some people know we think
about traveling, but not so in a group. So many in a group
and so many baggage. The Mennonites take their
3rd and final flight. This one’s to Pucallpa, a town northeast of
Lima, that’s close to the Amazon rainforest. They’ve travelled nealy 3500km. Upon
arrival, a few mototaxis are waiting. The Mennonites are something
of an attraction here, too. There’s room
over here! With the largest port in the region,
Pucallpa is the gateway to the Amazon. The city has around
200,000 inhabitants. Vendors from the surrounding villages
come here to sell their goods. Abram is
delighted. I’m here, and surprised! It
looks happy, beautiful. Yeah! Hello! Oh, they look nice. It looks
like there is lots of movement. It’s big
here, huh? Looks like lots of movement. Right here I
think, here we can work how we like to. Because I see the people moving
and lots and lots of people, so it will be a big, big
difference than in Belize. Because Belize is so poor, and little
bit of people, everything’s tight. The fast boats
leave from there. Abram has no
time to lose. He left Belize with the bare minimum,
so he needs to buy a few supplies before heading into
the rainforest. But first he has
to change money. José, come and
count the dollars! This is Abram’s entire savings. 30 years of
work. He’s investing it all in his future. We sell horses and cows and whatever,
what we could sell in the auction sale. So, then I got the money and then
I change it for buying things. More land, or
open my land. Abram has a total of $18,000 —
not much to start a new life. That’s why the group buys
things in bulk, to save money. First thing on the
list: mattresses. We are all together because above 10,
then they have a different price. That’s why we are all together,
going and buying things. This one is hard. It would be
like sleeping on the ground! The day is drawing to an end in Pucallpa,
but Abram’s work has just begun. Tomorrow he will take an exploratory
expedition to the new colony. Apples, apples! Vitamins, vitamins!
Come and get your apples! Abram has reserved a seat on the
first boat to Tierra Blanca, the last village
before the colony. Johann, another member of the
group, is accompanying him. The trip will take two days on the Ucayali
River, a tributary of the Amazon. I don’t have any idea. I come and look, and
I see what happens and what’s going on. So, I’m wondering,
everything. So, it looks all different to
what I know before in Belize, so everything
is different. But, it’s
interesting. A few hours later, there are
no more buildings in sight. Nothing but long stretches of forest.
But that doesn’t trouble Abram. On the
contrary? That’s what I am looking for.
That’s what I like. When there is green bush, tall bush,
high bush, that’s what I like. That’s what
I look for. Why? Because that looks like the soil
is strong, and they have power. So, they can grow vegetables, corn, or
anything like what we grow on the farm. After 48 hours on the boat, Abram has
nearly reached his personal paradise. We’re almost
there. Yes, not
far now. How much
longer? About half
an hour. But there’s more to come. Abram and
Johann take another, much smaller boat. It’s the only way to reach their new
home, deep in the heart of the Amazon. Hardly anyone traverses
the river at this point. And once they touch land,
it’s still not over. They’ve got another 90 minutes
along a muddy, bumpy road. You hear
that? Yeah, it’s going
clack, clack, clack. At one point, Johann and Abram
have to get out and push! Still, nothing can dampen
Abram’s enthusiasm. The road is
very difficult! Yes, it’s difficult, but it could change.
We could change it. This is the first time, but we have to work.
That’s what we want. We want to work! That’s why we want
to come here. You have to do
everything! Yes, everything. We have to start anew!
Starting from zero to grow. After two hours, the first
house comes into view. It was built by the 6 Mennonite
families who settled here a year ago. We reach. We finally
found you! Hello! Welcome! Luckily we could take the road,
otherwise we’d have had to walk. That’s nothing compared to how it was
when we came with all our luggage! There are around 50 Mennonites
living here, all on their own, in the middle
of the jungle. Without electricity
or running water. There’s a lot
to be done. Abram and his family will
have to live in tents before they are able to
build a house of their own. When will it
be finished? He says one week he has worked,
and so maybe two, three days more and then he will have
this house ready. Just two weeks to build a house!
Mennonites are seasoned carpenters. And they know how to make the
most of what they’ve got. The people in Belize, a
lot of times they say, how could it happen that we
people don’t go to school, and we do lots of different things
than they do? And how could it be? We say, we work on the farm
and practice on the farm. We don’t go to school; we
go to school on the farm. A little deeper
in the forest, Abram will finally see his own
plot of land for the first time. He’s waited a year
for this moment. What is
this? This is my piece of land here. So, this
is how we first open. This is the bush. And so right now we will go inside and there
I could show you how I will make my house. It’s the land I’ve
always dreamed of! Abram’s first instinct is to reach
down and grab a handful of soil. To plant carrots and all the vegetables,
for this soil will be very, very good. On one side it will be the house, and on
the other side there will be a shelter. The vegetables will be here in front, and
the front yard. So, when people come, and they see ‘Oh, okay, right here is
a pretty yard, pretty vegetables.’ Oh okay,
happy today! This is where he wants to create
a new Menonnite community based on Old Order
traditions. Like, here we will be more isolated and
more helpful, more love and everything. It will be more
together people living. In a year’s time, over 40 families will be
at home here, around 300 people in all. The Amazon - it may be the last
refuge for the Mennonites.
His enthusiasm where really contagious. I want to leave everything and move there even though i know i'd hate it within a week.
This was so interesting to watch. I kept catching myself smiling when watching their reactions to things in which modern civilization takes for granted that they're experiencing for the first time. What a challenge that must be to start almost from zero and build anew.
i wonder what his land looks like now. i would love to see what they have built!
deforestation, huge scars on the rain forest although smaller than the peruvian and brazilian ranchers, loggers and miners
Not sure if this is the same area this group are populating but 18,500 acres of deforestation is not good.
https://maaproject.org/2019/mennonite/
*edit - They are no doubt unaware of deforestation.