Local Hutterites see new reality show as distortion of their life
June 5, 2012 at 1:30 am in Grand Forks Herald
A new reality TV show about life in a Hutterite colony in Montana gives outsiders a glimpse of a unique religious culture centered in the Northern Plains of North America.
But it’s also concerned many Hutterites who see it as a distorted image of who they are, says Mary-Ann Kirkby, who spent her early years in a Hutterite colony near Portage La Prairie west of Winnipeg. Continue Reading
Definately not the Amish. I was at the local colony to drop something off and was surprised to see satellite dishes on the barn and huge modern farm equipment. I’ve been in Amish country a lot and they definately still do everything horse and buggy. I’m guessing the dishes had more to do with internet feeds for farming than for TV, but like I said…There seems to be a huge diference between the Amish and them…
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I question that having access to television is an indication of being “ahead” at anything.
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Everybody should do that. Fresh fruit, sugar and everclear. Let it sit and enjoy.
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Tose in the know say their Kahlua is better that the original.
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Look at the bright side, the show doesnt need to be accurate.
Who will it confuse? the three people who actually tune in to watch?
What could be more boring than living that lifestyle? Watching it.
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I’d rather watch Swamp People.
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I hear gator tastes just like chicken. But apparently so does every other reptile.
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Then again most Gators think people from LA taste like chicken, but the Gators in FL think those humans taste like chicken too….Go figure huh?
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They actually bait gators with chicken…
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Nah, I tried it, and it tastes just like you’d expect a big nasty lizard to taste like.
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Now THATS entertainment.
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Entertainment?
Only if you happen to live in ND or ‘Weeseeanna’. I can see where that would be considered entertainment in North Dakota, ya’ll ain’t got anything up there werth lasso’in and shewtin’ outta a boat, right? Yeehaw!
Well, just ya’ll wait until them Asian carp git up there! Yew can save lotsa bucks on clay piggins. Don’t even have to yell “pull!”.
Seriously, that is a really throwback program. I can’t imagine any normal person admitting they actually get off on it.
Sorry, tj..
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While many hutterites are upset at the reality show and don’t want their practices such as shunning revealed, it doesn’t change the fact that this is what actually happens in the colonies. One doesn’t dare challenge the traditions and expect to be free of consequences. While outsiders might view the lifestyle as a utopia, it is far from that. Having grown up in a hutterite colony, I can attest to that first hand. Clearly this documentary exposes some of these challenges. Just because a group of people are born into a community doesn’t change the fact that we are born with different wants and needs and these are not necessarily met by living in a colony.
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Someone from their community had to sign off on the show.
These “reality” programs dont just pick a topic and then follow people around.
If they didnt want the exposure, they could have just said no.
And as we are all aware, once you agree to be in the public spotlight, you also agree to all the critisism that comes with it.
If they are so unhappy, maybe they should direct their issues with the program to their bretheren in Montana.
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The Hutterites have not hurt anyone. So why all the hate posts against them?
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Ignorance? Jealousy? Others? Posters that were dropped on their heads as babies?
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These people are not amish! They are a religious group that lives a respectable communal lifestyle. This is the only difference beween us and them. They have cell phones computers and televisions. They are amazing bakers, farmers, machinest, and craftful people.
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I know they’re not, but I was just surprised at how modern they’ve become yet still dress to some degree like from the 1800′s. On the other hand I have actually seen Amish out in the fields with teams of horses pulling some type farming equipment. As I drove by I couldn’t help but to think that they really had to be commited to their life style to know there’s a much easier way to do things, but to continue doing them without modern technology……Of course they’ll be like rock stars if some day a solar flare fries our sattelites and suddenly we’re turned back a century…..
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While listening to our people in the colony they tell me that everything in the film is made up and it’s a big lie and that they are embarrassed . We all know it’s the truth who are we trying to convince that it is a lie, certainly not us in the colonies. I personally think NG is being really nice to us so let’s not open up a can of worms…please!…please!… this could get nasty especially when they will find out about the latest concerning our flowers and bricks.
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I am really surprised by some of these posts. People with no knowledge of the Hutterites are making comments that just show their ignorance. Many of the same people who troll these opinion forums always seem to have something to say without putting their brains into gear first. You live very close to a Hutterite colony west of Inkster (Forest River Colony). You shouild get to know these people. I had a lot of interaction with them several years ago and found them to be great neighbors who have chosen a lifestyle in which to live.
They have many of the same problems we do and the Forest River Colony is very active in community affairs and run several businesses which aid the community. They sell some of their produce and also run a company that cleans up large disasters such as a grain elevator fire or flood damage, etc. I never saw much of what is portrayed on the TV show and know that there are differences between the colonies. The Montana group has been known to be one of the most liberal ones. In short, don’t apply everything you see on TV as being applicable to those who live in North Dakota.
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