Transcripts For DW The Mennonites 20240711

May look like a scene from a bygone era. These young people are part of a community present day Central America they belong to a Christian Group known as mennonites, ultra conservative protestants, who shoot the modern world. Hit a, a new school house will sit on one side voice on the other, the recession, passages from the bible in on touch and their this morning, the youngest children. And then in the alphabet i look at the letter. I am pointing to god the older children are reading the new testament, printed in front of the traditional german script, and not to history, geography or foreign languages. The bible is the only text book saying, and baden, i teach them to read, saying, pray, recite poetry right here, count. Thats it. The children begin their schooling at age 6 and finish from the 13th long enough to learn the basics. But this is we learned from when i went to school, when the father of my grandfather went to school of every hour with you know, in a very thick not in a high, so college or anything studying and practicing. And i learning to feel better doing them after he finished school 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 directive to 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. Devour anabaptist. They strictly adhere to the doctrine of men or siemens. A 16th century dutch priest died late lives full of rigor and discipline. There over 2000000 mennonites, worldwide, but only a fraction are old order. Mennonites, virtually selfsufficient, believe in settlements with their own schools, churches, and tribes. This isolation shields them from modern day temptations. Now one colony of the 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. Just after that is kind of dresses. Thats cancer, religion, and it will play in a different kind of those 2 rooms, a very strict breaking and can have severe consequences. Sorry, go people dont obey the church, we must shun them. But yet the temptations are many. A few months ago, france forced on a forbid an object, a smartphone. They know the reality, though, is that up, you go there. You see, there are so many good things to find a serene facade. Some members are rebelling. Theyre challenging the communitys most fundamental doctrines. Guilt is one of the shunned and their mind, like a cell phone. Its made by see it from so concept and living up in our prime, on the other hand, isnt close to change. Thats why he and several other families plan to set up a new colony in an even more remote part of the world. Cost of the amazon get started, you know that from being ground. 0 with it. So who are the mennonites, and why do they leave one civilization . , is it even possible to escape the contemporary world in this state n. H. , we take a closer look at one of the 21st centurys most choristers 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 look, believes the former british colony has an extremely diverse population. Among aside, 400000 inhabitants. Im a caesar. Those creoles and mine. Most of the mennonites live further inland. Hidden away in the countryside is little billys an old order colony established in the 1970. S. Time seems to have stood still cars off the beaten path for strong buggies used to get around and i was not used to having contact with outside is going off. Hostile but somewhat perturbed by our presence i dont know what to make of our cameras. Some even hide their faces. Like this woman. Is it possible to make good on you whom you allowed it because people get frightened and young lady for when they get pregnant. So are when theyre young because the abstract theyre not did they not give use to it . Thats the reason. Conservative mennonites spurn want technology. A few are open minded. Like france is a great to talk to us. Have heard here and i am braving here the whole of my life. I have never experienced our oh my cold cold country. Ok. I like it or get a culture and every case its beautiful and enjoy and i france is 36 years old and lives on this farm which he built himself when he and his wife elizabeth have 7 children, the 15 year old twins honor and catarina of the eldest, a gotcha is 13 and elizabeth 10 and peter 6 and 8 times are the youngest, just 4 years old. Theyre a typical mennonite family munched, have 7 to 12 children. They live a simple way of life, a few fields, a chicken coop, and a couple of cows are enough to keep the family faint. To guns tend to the lock stock in the littleness on, dont pour it all on the same side. Put some here and some their choice to franz works from home. Hes a mechanic in his workshop. He repairs machinery for customers who are not members of the community here and around 500. 00 a month on average. His daughter catarina finished school 2 years ago since then shes been working with her father. We have only girls. Thats why she got the job. Yes, we had big boys and think she would have to work and the boys would have to do this job. This is probably a job for the boys with the roles in a mennonite household who clearly defined the women take care of the home and they did the cooking cleaning and laundry. And they also so close for the entire family. And that too is governed by strict rules. When elizabeth needs more fabric, she goes shopping. Theres no sign on advertisement to indicate that it is a store and the choices here are limited. This one is too dark for me. This ones pretty nice for the younger girls. The brighter colors are reserved for the younger girls, dresses, the darker fabrics of the married women. The men are to wear straw hats and checked all stripes. By half a meter will do. Everything is precisely specified. As you see, any big difference between these 2. Elisabet only speaks plattdeutsch all know german. A dialect used primarily by mennonites, her sister in law. Margaret, however, also speaks english and she fills the scene on some of the customs there. Thats where we have learned like godsons, my parents, my grandparents, great grandparents. They just keep it like that. Its been like that all the time. You can watch what you want. Now you just have to various can address its guns or religion if you do all kind of different clues during no, not at all. No up make up. Not in america. If youre just out. Oh man, its his her like that. Now we dont know it. He holds, you have to material for 2 dresses and a shirt for what amounts to 8 euros. Theres no excessive spending that mennonites, little of so austere, its almost monastic void of distractions. No music, no sports, and no television. And the closest they come to a moment of leisure is in church. Every sunday we were asked not to film their way in the movie a Community Leader has agreed to meet and talk with us. William is Something Like the colonies. Male. He too has 7 children in order to give us a better understanding of their believes. 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 a 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 of the meal is eaten in silence. Its a practice mennonite, so followed for centuries. Tonights dinner consists of bins of vegetable soup and sausages life as it was lived in the 19th century. I didnt really do with this bible says that to be accepted into heaven. You are not allowed to have any modern things like t. V. s telephones, computers, or cars or were taught to renounce modernity. When certain people do not want to obey the church, very mush and that they can no longer take part in the Community Like this. Not only among those trying to visit, not on like to know is explicit. I think you abide by the rules or you were 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 a 100 square kilometers and post nearly 3000 inhabitants. When they built roads, they paved the way for the development. In spite of their respect to the doctrine, some believers find modern conveniences hard to resist. For france, it all began when he had to buy a fine for work. Hes taking a huge risk by showing it to us for they saw for yourself, things of yours and others that i feel very guilty at the very they know its their reality. I do not feel guilty. I see there are so many good ones. And france discovered the internet and i love the music. The rhythm of country and western radically changed. His familys life was me and very, very fascinated. Theyre really like their new life. Its a new lifestyle for us. If we really had there is any music show, they could livers have in the if they did. And then a properly france, which isnt the spine. Theres someone to read it off for now, this is for my brother. You have to hide my folly because that really, but i dont like to see them mad. If they dont see the point, it will be more happy to me that maybe in the future they will start to know more about the reality. France has to be can even around his brother if anyone finds out that he has a fun communication he used to provide medical care for the families here to france. Kind of surgery, to sit down here and sit down here and then have a speech. And then the probe would probably pay and then there are the men i would have them, they dont cover them up shakhtar all the people from the king here and yet. Oh yeah. Preacher sent their yeah. For 20 years. Bill. How was the colonies . Lady doctor, who though he has no formal training, his mother was a nurse and he taught himself by studying medical textbooks, people to find in order to save lives in a book. And i felt like i had to have it because there were so many accidents, and then i felt like an obligation to call a taxi or to call on the doctors or i said that was so useful for me. And i had it and, and they were complaining about that and they wanted me tole told lose it. And i said no, that decision cost him dearly because he broke the rules, he lost everything. And then they, they knew that they would excommunicate me. The day before, i would say i heard about least 60 patients at least 60 that went on the whole day up told late in the night the next day i got excommunicated. No one claims again. So that stops it from 60 to overnight to 0. Since his expulsion bill has been shunned by the community, these days he sells time as an hours drive from home. He decided to found a new non conformists congregation within the conservative community. Mennonites, behind the wheel of a pickup trucks, a surprising size. They belong to the dozens of families that now attend the new church. From all appearances, these believe is 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 in all, theres no bible to be seen. The way the great read all the gospel of matthew, the 11 disciples, went to galilee to the mountain where jesus had sent them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubt it. Vilhelm instigated the construction of the new church itself. Oh yeah. They are allowed to drive vehicles out loud music with a loud rock that sought out only what is not allowed to drink and all that. What what, what so strong. This Development Troubles more traditional mennonites, they believe that souls are being lost. Is one of those traditionalists, hes joining several other families who decided to leave police to set up a new colony in peru, one that small new to the old order like bell that more tradition and a community so that they will be more more more. I dont know exactly how to explain, but the people more conservative, more people together are brahma pharma. Will embark on a new adventure with his wife and 7 children, even though hes invested a lot in his life here in little billings. So this is the house. What i had well at the 1st point, so now. Busy i want to live it, so let 4 out of people can get there. Now if they want to change or have a better one so they can put a new one. So thats how im thinking now. And i want to sell it for everything and the land for our prime prove represents the promise of an even better life. The 1st point. Like there it sounds like is for everything at sounds better to work here. Having, having more, more like more people and who will buy us art, a widget beings and all the things what we produce, they will buy more so we could sell more of what we produce that will make for more happy. Are those moving to prove caring for the departure that in town selling most and their positions . How much for the set of balls going or 5 dollars . 2 dollars. 4. 00 a liter on fire. Oh yeah. Code needs to sell as much as he can with there will be a trash can or a casserole dish. Everything must go. Im selling whatever i cant take with me. Ok, im selling the house, my. All the furniture, all the things we used every day. Were taking as our buggy, the rest will be sold and if it goes, yeah, but not every dollar counts, the money will go toward constructing the new colony. The auction last the whole day. One thing after months to take to his farming equipment 11 families to share in the space and cost of a shipping container. Lets take this over there. Yeah, there is a lot we have to apart everything together and to get it together and tell it fits only their most precious possessions. Well might a trip to peru that includes tractors and machinery needed to clear roads the country had a few things. Theyre not big farmers and, and the country. So thats why we think about, we kind of care it cheaper. We have it here and we care it over there. Its cheaper than we buy it from brazil or anywhere 1st of billys city then by boat. Yes, by boat. Right . The container will arrive 2 months after they do. There isnt much room left, but opera has a surprise in store for his wife. Hes going to take their marriage bed. The only reminder of their past life is the bed so that they have it ready at once. But your wife wanted something. Yeah. My way want that to keep their she wanted to keep the beds so she would be happy there. Not lose everything. Should lose that, they got none, but not everything you need. Its the evening before their departure. Friends, family is feeling a princess, especially his wife, elena birth america. 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 dont know how ill feel when i have to board. And you have and how do you feel about going through that . Im really excited. Oh really . Is it a . Yes. I cant wait. Well see who gets on the plane 1st and i dont want to be 1st. Thats something im going to do. The time has come for the family to guy. Its a great moment. The biggest one when i have ever had in my life climb in boys, you know, parents want to see them off. Its not easy for his mother. This is the 1st time one of the children has left the colony. Yeah, you know, dont worry, everythings going to be fine. Its all under control and im still anxious. I understand. But only good bye and safe journey. Have you visit us . Maybe in april of next 3 hours later they arrive at the airport in police city. Good offense to the group to get picked for. This is where the adventure truly begins. Is the 1st time what i am thinking, the plane. Thats what im telling my children. Not enraging 43 years. I want to go with the plane. So i know my children all day, ill be all they can go, but with together a long drive with a yeah, yeah, yeah. Ill run, i will go and i will go. So its going to be great. The rest of the group have also arrived 7 families, 53. 00, people in total. Theyve all booked one way. Tickets, no one plans to return its time to say goodbye. Parents came to the airport to make the most of the last few moments with the family. There were no hugs book uses. A simple handshake suffices. Everyone appears calm and composed but operands mother cant quite hold back, richie is she doesnt know if shell ever see her son or grandchildren. Again taking a huge leap into the unknown. And the challenges begin with the escalator on me they are you scared me neither. This is fine. Its a bit shaky. Ah, prime seems excited, but his wife elena is a little anxious. Whats that clouds clouds . Yes clouds were flying over clouds. I was wondering why there was so much smoke a journey it will take 24 hours after a stopover in panama. They arrived in lima, the capital of peru, while waiting for their final flight to paul culpa. Few can keep their eyes open. No one has slept much since they left police stuffed, lazy, lazy, lazy, bone for a long trip when the sprawling group of men and anstice not go unnoticed. The air force employee who checks in their luggage is curious. She knows where theyre headed and i ask them about us. But why are you going to pull culpa . We want to work there. Its work. Ok. And that will come, we bought land there and for cattle and were going to work at it. If youll see, what will you grow . Because it will grow corn beans saw a melon you cumbers peppers and tomatoes on and will keep chickens. Where will your children go to school . Its t. R. U. You get any feedback and well build a school. There isnt one there yet. But well build one that there are plenty that you can wash them. It would seem. Im surprised. Peter, i didnt think it was possible to live out there. But im happy for you that there was nothing in it always surprise. They dont know you were day. Jadwin, you must be a lot of people there surprised they didnt know that it about us and asking for where you coming from where you want to go. So what, what happens whats going on . Because they dont know, you know, and they dont know. As did look, people saw them, but they sometimes if they think about travelling but but not so ive grown so many in the group on so many baggage. The mennonites take the 3rd and final flight. This ones to compound a town northeast of lima. Thats close to the amazon rainforest. They have traveled nearly 3500 kilometers. Upon arrival, a few, mosher taxis awaiting the mennonites or something of an attraction here too. Theres room over here with the Largest Court in the region to calcutta is the gateway to the imus on the city has around 200000. 00 inhabitants. Vendors from the surrounding villages come here to sell their goods. Are graeme is delighted and yet looks up. Such bright looks at the beautiful. Yeah. Theres smoke and then a nice little fellow and looks like dad, you know, lots of moments. Yeah. And that all of its been here. Lets have lunch alone and its all right here. I think. Here we can work like we how we like to because i see the people is knowing and lots and lots of people will be a day different than in the least because bill is so poor and so little that people on everything tight just the fast boats leave from their brand has no time to loose lips, police with a 1000000000 minimum. So he needs to buy few supplies, people hitting into the rainforest, but 1st he has to change money. Cant say, come and count the dollars. This is our primes in time savings, 30 years of work. Now hes investing it in his future, but we sell our system called whatever what they sell and their actions and they get their money and then they change it for buying things more by meyer land or open my land. Opera house a total of 18000. 00 u. S. Dollars, not much to start a new life. Thats why the group feistiness info to save money. 1st thing on the list mattresses which normally get all together because all 10. 00 then they have a different price. Thats why we are all together going and buying things. Not swaddled. This 1. 00 is hard. It would be like sleeping on the ground. The day is drawing to an end in part, but ive promised work has just begun. Tomorrow he will take an exploratory expedition to the new colony. I said apples, apples, vitamins, come and get your appose. Prime has reserved a seat on the 1st bird to tea and a blanket. The last milledge before the company. Johann, another member of the group is accompanying him. The trip will take 2 days on a tributary of the amazon is going to have a problem much like the one might have, but they are wandering every day that they are everything. But is it that a few hours later there are no more buildings inside . Nothing but long stretches of forest. But that doesnt trouble. Abra. On the contrary. Thats what id like to get back. But thats what i like. Thats what it is. Right now it looks like its a white girl on our budget. Go pick out for our evening what she like work on the farm after 48 hours on the parts off from his nearly reached his personal paradise. Were almost there. Yes. Not far. Know how much longer about half an hour, but theres more to come on bremen, your hand, take another much smaller boat. Its the only way to reach the new high and deep in the heart of the amazon. Hardly anyone, truth has says the river at this point, and once they touch land, its still not over. It got another 90 minutes on the a muddy bumpy road. You hear that at one point johanan are brown. Have to get out and porsche, still nothing can dampen operands. Enthusiasm of the road is very difficult, but they have, they could change. It could change the face time to work. You have to do everything else. Everything you have to start a new thats from studying found here. Will you go to tomorrow is the 1st house comes into view. It was built by the 6 mennonite families who 73 years got the reach there are we finally found your hello welcome like thats enough. Luckily, we could take the road. Otherwise, wed have had to walk, and thats nothing compared to how it was when we came with all our luggage around 15 men are not sleeping here, all in their own, in the middle of the jungle. Without electricity, all running water, the euro is not to be done. Op ram and his family will have to live in tents before they are able to build a house of iraq. All in one will it be finished . He says one way he have work. Maybe 3 days more and then he ready just 2 weeks to build a house mennonites, a seasoned carpenters, and they know how to make the most of what theyve got the people and the least lot of time. And they say, oh, how could that happen . That we dont go to school and they do love Different Things than they do. And how could it be . But they say, we say we work on the farm on a farm. We dont go to school, we go to school on the farm. A little deeper in the forest opera, musi his own plot of land for the 1st time. Hes waiting to hear if this moment nice of you get a job like this. This is there might be someone here. Yes or no. This is how we, how we 1st open. This is the bush right now we will go inside. And there i could show you how i will make my house. Its the land ive always dreamed of. Friends 1st instinct is to reach down and grab a hand to plant carrots. All over for death will be a very good one side and will be good. And in our side there will be us out there and they venture challenges will be here, front and on the yard front yard. So when people come on the scene, there it is, up for the yard. And friendly way to tell is our carry out, bear the day that come back to do so is when he wants to create a new Mennonite Community based on old water traditions. Thank your we will be more isolated, the unborn helpful martin and everything. It will be more together, People Living in a years time and the food family is to be a time here around 300. 00 people in the amazon it may be the last refuge for the many hundreds just musing, fixing things instead of throwing them away and with subsidies instead of pressure to remove bush and sustainable up, this is what germanys church should look like. A plane winding up instead of lagging behind, made in germany, going to be funny minutes on t. W. It was the 1st International Tribunal in the number of trials 75 years ago, a high ranking officers of the nazi regime were endangered by the allied forces. They were the 1st war criminals to be held accountable for their crimes. In our 2 part series. Like in the talk starts nov 12th, on d, w. D. A did receive dentists journalism for human rights and the environment. The insertion of the global media for the cause of 19 pandemics. The islands against environmental defenders has increased in latin america. The commission of journalists has risen awareness for these attacks. But can journalism have an impact beyond creating visibility for discussion . Play. Play. This is news live from berlin, hong kongs prodemocracy leader stage and mass resignation. Gives out we in the back to the lawmakers who went after china imposes a measure allowing the city the citys beijing backed chief executive to expel legislators without going through. The courts also coming up hopes for an end to the endemic, gather momentum