tv The Mennonites Deutsche Welle June 28, 2020 2:15pm-3:01pm CEST
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not take away from the quality of the football and at the end that's all that madison. talk is always great to speak to you thank you. and that's the latest on t.w. news this hour i'll be back in 45 minutes with another update for you i'm aaron evanston for me and all of us here in berlin thanks for the company. were all set. to. cancel. the series that. whatever it takes. to run enough cut the town you made for mines.
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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 shoot the modern won't. hit a a. new schoolhouse hill sit on one side boyce on the recession passages from the bible and own taja her there. this morning the youngest children and then in the alphabet i. look at the letter
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a morning to. god. the older children are reading the new testament printed in front to 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 that's it. the children begin their schooling at age 6 and finish when the 13th long enough to know the basics. but this is what we learned from when i went to school when the father or my grandfather one who would have every hour with . going over to the not an ai some college or anything. studying and practicing and i learning. the fighters doing repeat them.
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after he finished school became a blacksmith like his father he has 20 children 3 of his 60 grandchildren are peoples in his class mennonites believe children are a blessing directive from god. blue eyed blondes abound originating from germany the netherlands and switzerland the mennonites from niger up 250 years ago and some adventure he settled in central and south america. devours anabaptist thanks strictly adhere to the doctrine of men or siemens a 16th century dutch priest died late last fall of rigor and discipline. there are over 2000000 mennonites worldwide but only a fraction are old order mennonites virtually self-sufficient they live in
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settlements with their own schools churches and tribes this isolation shields them from modern day temptations. now one colony of this occluded community has agreed to be filmed for this documentary. life in this religious group revolves around the bible everything is pre-determined right down to the color of their clothes just after that is kind of dresses that's going to religion appear or plan a different clues. that the rules are very strict breaking them can have severe consequences or you know if people don't obey the church we must shun them. yet the temptations are many a few months ago francis affected me object a smile for. the reality though is that i feel go see there are so many good
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things. behind the serene facade some members are rebelling they're challenging the community's most fundamental doctrines. guilt is one of the shop and. their mind like a cell phone it's made by see it from so concept and living up in our brand on the other hand isn't 1st to change that's why he and several other families play. to set up a new colony in an even more remote part of the world cause of the amazon. they've got to start anew that's from being ground 0 with a. sort of 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.
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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 billie's the former british colony has an estrangement diverse population among aside $400000.00 inhabitants a misuse of those creoles a mile. most of the mennonites live further inland hidden away in the countryside is little billie's an old order colony established in the 1970 s. . time is seems to have stood still cause after didn't. happen for strong buggies and
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used to get around. mennonites not used to having contact with outsiders and off hostile but somewhat perturbed by our presence. i don't know what to make of our cameras some even hide their faces like this woman . is it possible to google you who you are you. allowed it because people get frightened and young lady fear when they get pregnant . so are when they're yeah you know because they're frightened. they're not they do not give you strip that's the real. conservative mennonites spurn want technology. on a few are open minded like france has agreed to talk to us.
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amber and here. i am braving here the whole of my life i have no experience somewhere out. of my home. called country africa. and i like it or get a cultural heritage it's beautiful and enjoy and i. france is 36 years old. 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. daughter is 13 and elizabeth 10 . and peter 6 and 8. and zara the youngest is 4 years old. they're a typical mennonite family must have 7 to 12 children. they live
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a simple way of life a few fields a chicken coop and a couple of cows are enough to keep the family fete. the girls tend to the livestock from the little as i don't pour it all on the same side put some here and some there. it's usually. franz works from home. he's 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 she's been working with her father. only girls that's why she got the job. we had boys big boys and. i think she would have to work against the boys would have to do
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this job this is probably a job for the boys with. the roles in the mennonite household and clearly defined. the women take care of the home. and they do the cooking cleaning and laundry. they also so close for the entire family and that too is governed by strict rules. when elizabeth needs more fabric she goes shopping there's 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 one's pretty nice for the younger girls.
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the brighter colors are reserved for the younger girls dresses the darker fabrics for the married women the men are to wear straw hats and shirts all stripes shared . 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 feels this in on some of the customs there that's where we have learned like god since my parents my grandparents great grandparents they just keep it like that it's been like that all the time it was what you want now you just have to wear this kind of dress it's cancer religion at the door kind of different clues you know and you know they know not to you don't know up make up
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not in no makeup no. if you're. just old oh man it's his her like that. or we don't mind it he holds. you have to. material for 2 dresses and a shirt for what amounts to 8 euros there's no excessive spending mennonites little of 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 their way a. community leader has
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agreed to meet and talk business. william is something like the colonies male he too has 7 children in order to give us a better understanding of their blades he invites us to his home for dinner the only source of light is a single oil lamp the house has no electricity a 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 it's a practice mennonites of followed for centuries. tonight's dinner consists of bins of vegetable soup and sausages life as it was lived in the 19th century.
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if you. really do. with. this they 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 talks or announcement and when certain people do not want to obey the church very much shun them they can no longer take part in the community life already and i don't. 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 $3000.00 inhabitants.
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when they built roads they paved the way for the development. and. in spite of their respect for the doctrine some believers find modern conveniences hard to resist. for france it all began when he had to buy a farm for work but he's taking a huge risk by showing it to us. they were when they saw. for yourself things of yours and others that i feel very guilty. very. they know their reality is enough you 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 family's life. was on me and very very fascinated. there is a like there new life it's
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a new life style for us. if we really had there is any music so sure. it could livers have been the. it's a good pleasure to them. and then abruptly france which is off the spine. there's someone. rather. off. hi joy for now this one's for my brother you have. really but i don't like to see them. mad if they don't 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 careful even around his brother if anyone finds out that he has to fund the risk communication.
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he used to provide medical care for the families here he lives next to 2 friends. kind of on surgery. to sit down here and sit down here and then have a speech and then the probe will probably check if they're paying then there are the men i would have them there don't cover them up shakhtar all the people from the king here and yet here. preacher said. yeah. 20 years was the common use lay doctor so 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. and i felt like i had to have it because there were so many accidents and. then i felt
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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 then and the 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. then they then knew that they would excommunicate me the day before i would say i heard about at 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 it stops from 60 to overnight to 0. since his expulsion will has been shunned by the community these days he sells time as an hour's drive from home.
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he decided to found a new non conformists congregation within the conservative community. mennonites behind the wheel of pickup trucks a surprising size they belong to the dozens of families that now attend the new church. from all appearances these believes 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 is no bible to be seen. great read all the gospel of matthew 11 disciples went to galilee to the mountain where jesus had sent them when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubt it.
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vilhelm instigated the construction of a new church. oh yeah. the. music is. only what it's not allowed to drink. and all that what what what. is wrong with this development troubles more traditional mennonites they believe that souls have been lost. as one of those traditionalists he's joining several other families who decided to leave police to set up a new colony in truth one that small new to the old who would. like. more tradition. and a community so that they will be more more more i don't know exactly how to explain but that people are more conservative more people together.
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after am a family will embark on a new adventure with his wife and 7 children even though he's invested a lot in his life here in little billy's. so this is the house what i had. to 1st find so now 'd. 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 that's how i am thinking now and now i want to sell it for everything and the land for our brand prove represents the promise of an even better life the 1st. like here it sounds like it's. everything at sounds better to work they're. having. having more
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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 far more happy are. those moving to prove caring for the departure. that entails selling most of their positions. what about. how much for the set of balls going to 5 dollars 2 dollars 4 dollars or later 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. i'm selling whatever i can't take with me.
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it's ok i'm selling the house my all the furniture all the things we used every day we're taking as a buggy the rest will be sold if you. go yes but not. every dollar counts the money will go toward constructing the new colony. the auction last the whole day. one thing wants to take to his farming equipment. 11 families sharing space in cost of a shipping container. let's 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.
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the country had a few things they're not big farmers and and the country so that's why we think about we can care cheaper we have it here and we carried over there it's cheaper than we buy it from brazil or anywhere 1st to billy's city then by boat yes by boat right. the container will arrive 2 months after they do there isn't much room left but has a surprise in store for his wife he's going to take their marriage bed the only reminder of the past life. is the dead so that is what we have already at once your wife wanted yeah and i want that to keep dad she want to keep the beds so she will be happy there not lose everything should lose that they got none but not lose everything. you need.
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it's the evening before their departure. branch family is feeling a princess especially is watching elena. for 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. at times are you afraid of flying. not yet but i don't know how i'll feel when i have to board. and you have and how do you feel about going through that i'm really excited really is. it a yes i can't wait. we'll see who gets on the plane 1st. i don't want to be 1st.
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that's the way i'm going to still. go the time has come for the family to guy. and some big moment. the biggest one i have ever had in my life. kleiman boy's. parents want to see them off it's not easy for his mother this is the 1st time one of her children has left the colony. yeah you know don't worry everything's going to be fine it's all under control our question i'm still anxious i understand. but only good bye and safe journey to. the bicycle you visit us maybe in april. resume ok.
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3 hours later they arrive at the airport in billy's city they're the 1st of the group to get there. this is where the adventure truly begins. is the 1st time what i am taking the plane for that's what i'm telling my children now and which in 43 years i want to go with the plane so now my children all day i'll be all they can go but with together a long drive and yet get them there i'll run i will grow and i will go so it's going to be great. the rest of the group of also arrived 7 families $53.00 people in total. they were all born one way tickets no one plans to return. it's time to say goodbye.
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parents came to the airport to make the most of the last few moments with the family. there were no hoggs book uses a simple handshake suffice everyone appears calm and composed. but i'm brehm's mother can't quite. back richie is she doesn't know if she'll ever see her son or grandchildren again. and they're taking a huge leap into the unknown. the challenges begin with the escalator.
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bug. me. they. are you scared. that maybe either this is fine. it's a bit shaky. our problem seems excited but his wife ellen is a little anxious what's that clouds clouds yes clouds. were flying over clouds i was wondering why there was so much smoke. a journey will take 24 hours after a stopover in panama they arrived in lima the capital of peru.
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while waiting for their final flight to pull kulpa if you can keep their eyes open no one has slept much since they left police. made. lazy. lazy on. a long trip. when. the sprawling group of mennonites does not go unnoticed. in. the air force employee who checks in their luggage is curious. if she knows where they're headed and ask them about why are you going to pick culpa we want to work there work ok and if we bought land there and for him and we're going to work
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at it if this is. what will you grow because it will grow corn beans saw a melon you cumbers peppers and tomatoes all 10 will keep chickens. where will your children go to school is to. get any respect and that will build a school there isn't one there yet but we'll build one that are pretty that you simply don't have it would seem i'm surprised. that i didn't think it was possible to live out there but i'm happy for you that there was nothing it would surprise me they don't know you or they haven't really noticed a lot of people they're surprised they didn't know that about us and. asking for where are you coming where you want to go so what what happens what's going on.
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because they don't know you know and they don't know is different look people son but they sometimes that they think about travelling but but not so and i've grown so many in the group on so many baggage. the mennonites take the 3rd and final flights this one's to come to town or things to blame. it's close to the amazon rainforest they have traveled nearly 3500 kilometers. upon arrival a few mosher taxis a whiting the mennonites a something of an attraction here too. there's room over here.
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with the largest course in the region is the gateway to the amazon the city has around 200000 inhabitants. the. vendors from the surrounding villages come here to sell their goods. is to. find yaron looks up such bright. looks happy beautiful yeah. there is a look. and then a nice look fell in looks like dad you know lots of moments yeah and that that all of. it's very clear. let's have lots of low
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men so right here i think here we can work like we how we like to because i see the people is moving and lots and lots of people. will be a they different then in the least because there is so poor and so little black people on everything tight. the fast boats leave from their. brand has no time to lose he lives police with a 1000000000 minimum so he needs to pass a few surprised people heading into the rainforest but 1st he has to change money. can't say come and count the dollars. this is our primes in time savings 30 years of work now he's investing it in his future that we sell our system call. whatever what they sell and the auction sale and they get the
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money and then they changed it. for buying things more i hired man or open milan. on prem has a total of $18000.00 u.s. dollars not much to start a new life that's why the group feistiness info to save money 1st thing on the list mattresses. you and me. all together because all 10 and i have a different price that's why we are all together going and buying things. that's not why this one is hard it would be like sleeping on the ground. the day is drawing to an end in part but i've worked has just begun tomorrow he
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will take an exploratory expedition to the new colony. i send apples apples vitamins come and get your apple. this. news. prime has reserved a seat on the 1st go to tea at a blank on the last minute before the company johann another member of the group is accompanying him. at the tribute take 2 days on. a tributary of the amazon. going to have. a problem but. i wonder what how that was weighing on wandering every day of the day and then take. it every day to get it but this is. a few hours later there are no more buildings inside nothing
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but long stretches of forest but that doesn't trouble abra on the contrary. in part that's what i like. basketball but. that's what i like that's what you're right about that looks like it's quite strong on our budget grow the fuck out of our anything much like work on the farm. up to 48 hours on the parts off from his nearly reached his personal power times. we're almost there yes not fargo. how much longer. about half an hour. but there's more to come on your hand take another much smaller boat it's the only
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way to reach the new high and deep in the heart of the amazon. hardly anyone troopers. says 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. at one point johanan are brown have to get out and push still nothing can dampen operands enthusiasm of. the road is very difficult. but.
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they could change if they change the baseline to work well. yet you have to do everything else everything you have to start anew that's from starting from 0. to 2 hours the 1st house comes into view it was built onto 6 men and i promise you 73 years after. we reach. it we finally found your hello welcome. back that's enough luckily we could take the road otherwise we'd have had to walk
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on you going. that's nothing. how it was when we came with all our luggage. around 50 men are not sleeping here women around in the middle of the jungle without electricity over running water. the when your iraq. is not to be done our prime and his family will have to live in tents because i able to build a house of iraq. all on one will it be finished. he says one way he had work and maybe. 3 days more and then he ready. just 2 weeks to build a house mennonites seasoned carpenters and they know how to make the most of what they have gone to. the people in billy's lot of time that are so
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low how could that happen that we don't 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 a farm. just on a farm we don't go to school we go to school on the farm. a little deeper in the forest opera must see his own plot of land for the 1st time he's waited a year for this moment as if you don't know if. you. like this this is there my piece of land 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 it's the land i've always dreamed of.
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friends 1st instinct is to reach down and grab a handful. to plant carrots. all over us for deaths of the very good. on one side it will be going on and on our side there will be us out there and they venture challenge will be here front and on the our front yard so when people come on the see there it is up for the yard and fred the way to tell us our carry out bear the day after. this is when he wants to create a new mennonite community based on old water traditions thanks here we will be even more isolated the unborn helpful more and everything it will
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be more together people living. in a year's time and the food the families will be a time here around $300.00 people in. these amazon. it may be the last refuge for the mennonites. months some upgrades and meanspirited dancing. at a pretty cool music coleman's last block. the burrup classical plus cuban the current player sara willis joins in with gusto cutting the $20000000.00. to 30 minutes knocking the dog into.
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our car. armstrong really walk on the moon. isn't the earth really flat hafter all. the government. conspiracy theories spread like wildfire on the internet. on the cause of small groups who shout louder than others and profit from a lack of interest among the reasonable. in the conspiracy theories confront comfort you don't like reality create another. film about knowledge and belief trust and deception democracy of the gullible starts july 1st on d. w.
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od. the be. this is d.w. news live from berlin poland votes in a presidential election that's why i think being seen as a test for democracy is the 1st presidential poll in the e.u. since the corona virus outbreak the rightwing incumbent andre duda is fighting for 2nd term but he faces an unexpectedly strong challenge from the liberal mayor of more songs. also coming out. in the u.s. confirmed coronavirus cases top 2 and a half 1000000 florida is among the hardest hit.
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