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

Ann-Marie Dornn was born into a reclusive and extraordinary Hutterite colony near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This religious community was an idyllic place for a growing young girl, filled with adventure, strong bonds of friendship, rich delicious food, and a deep sense of belonging. But for her parents, it had become a community teeming with tension and conflict. The Hutterite faith was founded in the 16th century by Jacob Hutter, an Austrian hatmaker who believed in shared property and people workingtogether for the common good. Their practices of adult baptism, staunch pacifism, and community life led to persecution that drove them from Europe to North America. Those prejudices continue to this day: Kirkby details the misunderstandings faced when her family attempted to integrate into Canadian society. She tells the story of several generations of both sides of her family, their immigration to Canada, their becoming part of the Hutterite community, and what drove her parents to leave to join the "English" world of outside society. Kirkby describes her journey from burying her past to fit in as a child with her peers to finding acceptance of her heritage as an adult while writing this book. Interlaced throughout are descriptions of Hutterite cuisineand fashion, and explanations of religious practices and politics within these groups.