I Am Hutterite: The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Heritage

By Mary-Ann Kirkby

In 1969, Ann-Marie’s parents did the unthinkable, leaving a Hutterite colony with their seven children to start a new life. Overnight, the family was thrust into a society they did not understand and did not understand them in this powerful story of understanding how our beginnings often define us.

“Your mother and father are running away," said a voice piercing the warm air. I froze and turned toward home. To a Hutterite, nothing is more shameful than that word.”

When Ann-Marie's parents decided to leave their Hutterite colony in Canada with their seven children in tow, it was a complete shock. Overnight, the family was thrust into a society they did not understand, and which knew little of their unique culture. The transition was overwhelming. Desperate to be accepted, ten-year-old Ann-Marie was forced to deny her heritage in order to fit in with her peers.

I Am Hutterite chronicles Ann-Marie's quest to reinvent herself as she comes to terms with the painful circumstances that led her family to leave community life. Before she left the colony, Ann-Marie had never tasted macaroni and cheese or ridden a bike. She had never heard of Walt Disney or rock-and-roll. With great humor, she describes how she adapted to popular culture, and with raw honesty, her family's deep sense of loss for their community.

• Winner of the 2007 Saskatchewan Book Award for Non-fiction
• Unveils the rich history and traditions of the Hutterite people’s extraordinary way of life
• Includes a glossary of Hutterite words and phrases, family photos, and a family tree

In this insightful memoir, venture into the hidden heart of the little-known Hutterite colony. Rich with memorable characters and vivid descriptions, this ground-breaking narrative shines a light on intolerance, illuminating the simple truth that beneath every human exterior beats a heart longing for understanding and acceptance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: May 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9781418560324

Mary-Ann Kirkby

Mary-Ann Kirkby spent her childhood in a Hutterite colony in Canada. Without warning her parents uprooted their 7 children to begin a new life in the outside world. Mary-Ann's difficult transition into popular culture led her to an award-winning career in television as a gifted storyteller.

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Reviews for I Am Hutterite

[scrh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I acquired this book to learn a bit more about the Hutterites, as some lived near a town I lived in as a young lad. The book fulfilled my hopes and I appreciate the time and effort the author took to write it.The author does not bash Hutterites, nor does she elevate them. She just tells her story, mostly occurring in the early years of her life.A number of photos enhance the book. There is no index.

[wagrobanite-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a fascinating book! Ms. Kirkby gives firsthand insight into a closed society. I knew very little about Hutterite life/culture except that they were an Anabaptist group similar to that of Amish and Mennonites. The only reasons I didn't give it five stars is that a)the writing was a little confusing to follow, b)non-English words weren't translated (one of my biggest pet peeves in books (yes there is a dictionary in the back but I didn't know that until I finished the book (I had the ebook)), and c)who was related to whom was extremely hard to follow. Because this is a closed society, there are many interconnected families and so there are many members of the same family connected multiple ways. Because it this, it was hard to keep track who was related to whom. However, this book is a good book and for anyone interested in Amish society, this is an interesting read to compare to them.

[willowone_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I Am Hutterite is about the author's journey into her past. She brings the Hutterite community and the colonies she lived in to the forefront. We "the English" get a peek into their faith, the colony structures and their day to day lives. In writing her story she was able to learn about her own history/ancestry and the reasons why her parents left the Hutterite colony that they were living in.I found the story to be fascinating, like the title states. Before seeing this book on the United Methodist Women reading program I honestly didn't know what a Hutterite was or that they even existed. I was drawn to the community aspect, the need to share the load and that it was always for the good of the colony. While there are strict rules in a colony, we have strict laws in place in the "outside" world that we must abide also. I am always amazed at the people that poke fun, are intolerant or feel they are "better than" another. These are all things the author had to deal with when her parents left their Hutterite colony. I saw bravery on her parents part when they broke away into the relative unknown. I know that reading this book will help me to be more tolerant of the differences we all have and the fact that beyond the exterior we all have a beating heart looking for love and understanding.

[saskreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a fascinating look at Hutterite life and at being an outsider in a new culture. While I knew some things about Hutterites before reading this, I didn't know the details, and they are much more interesting than I imagined! Ann-Marie's attempt to fit in with the English as a young girl was just heartbreaking. This is an excellent memoir, and I must say, I sure felt hungry throughout...so much talk of food!

[homeschoolmimzi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderfully rich read, with lots of honest gritty details about the author's childhood living in a Hutterite colony ~replete with descriptions of the food, the constant companionship of the fellow Hutterite families, (most of which were large, with 7 kids each), the banter and teasing, the unique clothing and the prayer meetings and leadership. Kirkby describes a happy childhood, where there is always an abundance of food and an abundance of things to do. There are many chores and the life is very structured, but she felt security therein and did not want to leave. When she is 10, her parents decide to leave the colony and strike out on their own.

Although Kirkby's transition to 'English' life is hard, she tells the story with grace. Kirkby does not pass over some of the rigid teachings however; she does not gloss over the harsh, power-hungry uncle's leadership and its terrible consequences. And the tragedies that befall them and other families.

I enjoyed learning about her experience and recommend this book to anyone who is interested in firsthand accounts of people living in alternative communities.

[kaulsu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the last research papers I wrote for my undergraduate degree was on the Hutterites (got an A and great comments), so I very much enjoyed this selection from my SantaThingElf.Kirkby's story rings true. Her description of her childhood makes one want to join and Hutterite colony. Her description of the heart aches experienced by her parents makes one wonder how they stayed in the colony so long.Kirkby begins her story with the story of her grandparents (both sets) and the hardships they endured. She could have easily have written a story that was more bitter than sweet, and I don't think anyone would have complained. Instead she shows that other cultures have reason behind action and that well-lived lives can be happy--sometimes even happier--lived in an entirely different way than the majority culture deems possible.Throughout the second phase of the book, the theme is forgiveness. It is hard to forgive. It is sometimes even hard to believe it is possible. But for those who have been "tresspassed against," the true healing only comes through forgiveness.Many-Ann Dornn Kirby seems to have found a path for her own life to become integrated, which is perhaps another way of expressing forgiveness. Forgiving others and forgiving ourselves.

[aimelire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mary-Anne Kirkby lived in a hutterite colony (in Manitoba) for the first part of her life. Her parents were not happy and decided to leave. The first couple of chapters of this book is Mary-Anne recounting the love story of her parents. Then we learn what type of life these people had, from day to day chores, to who was responsable for what task in their community. The story is read quite easily. Although Mary-Anne's family was not happy, she writes the book with objectivity when describing her childhood and the community. When I was finished, I really wanted to learn everything there was to learn about Mary-Anne's life since the book! She is very fasicating!

[bap1012 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting insight into a unique culture through the memoir of a former member of the Hutterite community. I learned quite a bit but sometimes lost interest because of the writing style. The last chapter was a little confusing at times, especially towards the end.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mary-Ann Kirkby tells about her childhood growing up on a Hutterite colony in Manitoba. Then she tells of her family's removal from the colony, and their gradual progress in integrating with the "English" in the community in which they lived. Because the Hutterites practiced communal living, leaving the colony was a very difficult decision for the family, but one which her parents knew was correct. They lived in poverty. As she described the meals they ate as a family after striking out on their own, my stomach churned just thinking about it. Fortunately things did improve for their large family within a few years. This was an interesting look at a religious group about which I knew very little.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an informative read about life in a Hutterite colony. I was a little frustrated though, by the mis-alignment of the subtitle -- A young woman's journey to reclaim her heritage -- and the book itself. Well over half the book deals with the author's early life in the colony. After her parents "run away" from that life, the book talks about the author's challenges with fitting into English society. There is very little about losing/reclaiming her heritage, which I think would have been most interesting. Still worth reading with the proper expectations.

[nancynova · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting book written about a girl's childhood, living in a communal type of religious community in Canada. The Hutterites spring from the Anabaptist movement, like the Amish did, but believe in sharing possessions - food, money, tools, etc. Like the Amish, sometimes a family has a conflict with the religious leader of their colony, and the family joins another colony or leaves altogether, as Mary Ann's family did.

[carolee888 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is book is very special to me. I love what Mary-Ann Kirby says in this book '...for it is only when we embrace our past that we can find true fulfillment in our future' (p.228). Her statement spells out the reason for my own search for my family's beginnings. Mary Ann was invited by a friend to write a magazine article about Hutterite gardens. But it turned into a journey into past starting with her Hutterite beginnings. Her family lived in a Hutterite colony in southern Manitoba, Canada. Hutterites were one of three groups that sprang from the Anabaptists: the Amish, Hutterites and Mennonites. I enjoyed her journey, sometimes troubled, sometimes joyful so much. She lived the Hutterite life but by reflection, she learned so much. It is my hope to trace my Mennonites ancestors and learn their way of life so I can better understand my ancestors and myself. The core difference between the two other groups and the Hutterites was the belief in no personal possessions, that started with its Austrian founder, Jacob Hutterite and is still followed in the Hutterite colonies today in Canada and United States. Strangely, this principal of no personal possessions led to why her family in their good conscience had to decide whether or not to leave. Not because of a desire to obtain and keep things but because of importance of human life. There is so much to learn from this book, the true meaning of freedom, the traditions of clothing, cleanliness, humor, drinking, singing, and the expressions. A unmarried woman is spoken of as 'a jar that hadn't yet found its lid' (p. 37) The tradition of giving a daughter at the age of 15,a wooden hope chest (my father did this too). The special treatment that a woman who has just born a baby receives. I could go on but I would spoil the book for you. This book captures you at the beginning and won't let you go. I will keep it on my bookshelf for reference in the future and I hope to re-read it. It is beautifully written and from some accounts of family past come big treasures of meaning. I invite everyone interested in the past, in their own ancestry, in religion, in ways of life to read and enjoy this book.

[mbels_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found the information in the book fascinating. Alas, I also found the writing style jerky, and not entirely engaging. Hutterites speak a form of German. The author chose to input German phraseology into at least one paragraph on almost every single page of the book. In my opinion, a handful of German phrases would have been sufficient for the reader to get a feel for the Hutterite language. It was not necessary to inject a phrase on every page. This writing style means that the reader is jerked out of a nice reading flow to stumble over some incomprehensible words, ponder them, continue reading to find out the translation, get back into a nice reading flow only to mentally stumble over the next German phrase. Even if a reader understand written German, I'm sure they would find this writing technique equally frustrating - who wants to read the same information twice over and over and over again. It's a shame that the decision to leave so much of the foreign phrasing was made. The Hutterite culture is an interesting one, and in my opinion the removal of these excessive German phrases would elevate the book and allow the reader to enjoy learning about such an interesting and elusive culture.

[allthesedarnbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it's a glimpse into a fascinating religion and culture that I had previously never heard of. On the other hand, it's just not that well-written.The Hutterites are an Anabaptist sect (Mennonites and Amish are different Anabaptist traditions). They live communally, adhere to a strict religious lifestyle, and speak a German dialect. I had never read anything about the Hutterites before, and Kirkby's book succeeded in sparking my interest in the culture. I would definitely be interested in reading more about the subject.The book has its flaws, however. The many characters, members of her extended family and community, were not distinguished enough for me to always remember each one specifically. A lot of them also have more than one name, which got confusing. I would often pause and ask, "Wait. Who is it that again?" More importantly, Kirkby's prose is convoluted and clunky. There are times when she goes into far too much detail; other times where she seems to skip over important ideas altogether. The parts of the book where she writes about her family history, or her parents' or other relatives' experiences, are particularly weak. At times it reads like a high school essay. The parts, especially in the second half of the book, where she describes her own life, and the pleasures of Hutterite living, as well as the loss she felt when her family left the community, are much stronger and compelling.This book was originally self-published, and at times it feels like it. In spite of the mediocrity of the prose, the book is well worth a read if you are interested in Anabaptists, varying religious communities, or details of a simple, country life. Three stars

[grazianoronca_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

‘Levi, - I begin, searching for the right words, - there is a little boy buried here. His name is Renie, and he is my brother.’ (p. xxii)Levi is the son of Mary-Ann Kirkby, the author of I Am Hutterite, who asks his mother ‘Are you a Hutterite?’, and as all the questions of every child arrives without notice, so starts Mary-Ann’s journey in the past. This book recounts her Hutterite family story.The Hutterite way of life and faith was born in the sixteenth century among several refugees from Switzerland, Germany, and Tirol. During the nineteenth century Hutterite people emigrates to the United States and Canada. Dornns family follows all the ‘iron’ rules of the colony where they live, but something happened to change everything. After several squabbles between the chief of the colony and Mary-Ann‘s father, the Dornns escaped from the colony toward an unknown world. Everybody has seen the movie ‘Witness’ a 1985 American thriller movie directed by Peter Weir and main character played by Harrison Ford. I think from this movie started all the curiosity about these communities. From Witness we know about Amish people, but almost everything is similar to the Hutterite colonies. Everybody has also studied at school the reformation movements of sixteenth century,but while reading this book we get to know the private life of a Hutterite colony, especially the feelings of these people, the meaning of their way of life, and their‘way of looking at the world, and unmistakable candor’(p. 234)So I Am Hutterite enlightens about a world not included in the general globalization; it keeps you thinking about progress: Do we really need progress? Although Mary-Ann Kirkby admits and writes the inevitable call of the progress. About this ideas I’d like to quote a passage: ’She wore neither makeup nor jewelry; both were forbidden. In a culture that stressed an inner adornment of the heart, her smile would be enough.’ (p. 20) We have always thought about our world (the ‘mainstream’) full of freedom, but Mary-Ann surprisingly wrote:‘I was the happy Hutterite girl, free from dress code and protocol of the English world.’ (p. 175)The best parts: Chapter 5 Renie (pages 69-86) and the pages were Mary-Ann and her siblings play baseball against all the other classmates (p. 185). I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publisher as part of their Booksneeze.com book review blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In I Am Hutterite, author Mary-Ann Kirkby reflects on a happy childhood in a Hutterite colony, the pain of leaving the communal life just before her 10th birthday, and her journey of fitting into the English world, a bitter-sweet process since her family did not sever its social ties with their former community when they moved away. Kirkby's insider's view depicts a community where everyone is valued and contributes to community life. Although families live in family units, children are nurtured by the whole community, and all adults are called "aunt" and "uncle" whether related or not. Children have work to do, but there is also time for school and play. Community support allows families to care for aging parents at home.While colony life provides security, Kirkby's memoir shows that it doesn't always provide peace. Kirkby's parents made the difficult decision to leave their colony after years of discord between Kirkby's father and the colony's leader, who was also her mother's brother. Kirkby shows great sensitivity in writing of the breach between her parents and her uncle. She describes her uncle's flawed leadership style without bitterness or vindictiveness. By the end of the book I had developed a great respect for Kirkby's parents and their sincere faith.Kirkby's stories about some of her failed attempts to fit into the English world are humorous, but must have been painful for her at the time. Her challenges included packing a school lunch that looked like other students' lunches and figuring out just who or what this Walt Disney was that the other children talked about every Monday.The author's descriptions of food, particularly fresh produce and berries, made my mouth water. I'm glad I read this during the summer so I can satisfy these cravings! Only one recipe is included in the book. Many readers will want more. I think a follow-up recipe book would be a great idea.Readers who like the currently popular Amish fiction will probably like this book even though there are many difference between Hutterite and Amish communities. Readers interested in living and eating locally might also enjoy the book. Although the book is published by a Christian publishing company, the focus of the book is on lifestyle rather than theology and should have a wider appeal. Highly recommended.

[mom2childs_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting book to read. Although I had heard about and visited Amish communities around northeast Ohio, and my mom lived near a Mennonite community, I had never heard the term Hutterite. Reading Mary-Ann Kirby's book, I was able to glean a little bit of information about this religious community through her eyes. The family members and friends in the book came alive through her descriptive words and funny stories. Although the way the Hutterite people interact with one another is very straight-forward and blunt, quite a few of the people had a great sense of humor, just a little more dry than what I would be used to.I appreciate that Mrs. Kirby tries to explain what it was like to live between two communities and how difficult it must have been for her parents to make the decisions they felt they needed to make in order to protect their families.The way Hutterites live is fascinating – along the lines of “it takes a village to raise a child”, which is very different than the way I grew up. I think it takes a special kind of people to be able to write and tell the stories, both good and bad, about her culture, its differences, knowing in advance that it will anger some people and embarrass others. I think writing this was probably very cathartic and was certainly corageous – and I say “thanks” for letting me get a glimpse of your life.I was a little confused about the relationships of the numerous people who were described in the book, only to discover after I had read the book, that there was a family tree listed in the back of the book. There was also a Hutterite language glossary at the end, which could have helped me as well, if I had known it was there.

[dk_phoenix_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In 1969, the author's parents did something unthinkable: they packed up their things and left the Hutterite colony where they'd lived with their seven children for years. They intended to start a new life outside the colony, and the entire family was thrown into a society they didn't understand and which looked at Hutterite people as strange, bizarre creatures.The book records the early days of Kirkby's parents -- before they met -- traveling through their courtship, the birth of their children, the conflict between her father and the colony leader, and eventually their 'running away' (leaving the colony was referred to as "running away").Some of the most interesting points of the book were: learning about which customs today's Hutterites have kept since their sect was founded 500 years ago; the communal nature of the colonies; the bizarre politics involved in the daily interactions; seeing Kirkby's family attempt to integrate themselves into 'modern society'.Mind you, the "running away" doesn't come until three quarters of the way through the book... and that was the thing the book description focused on the most, so I was a little surprised to see that less than half the book was devoted to this material. I understand that most people don't have any concept of who the Hutterites are, but I don't think it's fair to label a book as being about someone's journey to find her self of self outside the only life she knew, but spend most of the book talking about that former life.But, it's interesting at the very least. It's not the most riveting read -- sometimes the endless description of life inside the colony can get a bit dry, and I admit to skimming pages more than a few times -- but if you're interested in the Hutterites and who they are, you'll probably find a lot to like here. Just don't expect to spend a lot of time reading about the transition (though what IS there is fascinating).

[mahallett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

this was a good description of hutterite life and traditions. they really seem to eat a lot! and a lot of sugar! also a good story of trying to fit in, of life in a big family with little money. it just didn't beg me to read it.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am a Canadian prairie girl, and I had to read this book for that reason alone. I also wanted to learn a little about a sect that is common in my area, but one where there is not much knowledge. The nature of the group is that they stay separate fro the mainstream and live communally. I learned a lot about this fascinating religion and I learned a lot about the lifestyle that these people live and have lived for 5 centuries. Hutterites originated in Austria in the 1500's. A lot of them emigrated to Canada in the late 19 and early 20 century, and set up numerous colonies throughout our prairie region. They are hardworking, religious people with a great sense of humour and that came out in this book. I found it fascinating to hear what it was like growing up in a Hutterite colony like this author did. She depicts this time of her life with warm remembrances, and even though her family moved away from the colony when she was ten, she never forgot her roots. This is an honest and direct account of what to most of us is a closed world. Mary-Ann Kirkby's book was a wonderful insight into this world and into the adjustments that she had to made out in the "English" world when her family moved away.

[coolmama_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A well written account of Mary-Ann Dornn's life living in a closed Hutterite community in Manitoba during the early 70s and her family history.