Figure 1.--This is a Mennonite family the from Nueva Esperanza settlement in Bolivia at their dinner time. Looking at the ages of all family members, we can assume that these will be only the first eight children. In the colony the families have an average of ten children with a maximum that increases in some case to 20 children. Notice that this family seems to have a fridge. These groups sometimes bend their rules for really practical modern items.

Bolivia has a substantial Mennonites community. Apparently the the first Mennonites went to Bolivia ahen the the Government offered them the land in the Lowlands north an east of the Andes (1950s). At the time this was virgin territiry. Most Boliviansived in the Andean Highlands. I flew over the area from Brazil and it was like an ocean with virtually no population or roads, like flying over the sea (1960s). The Bolivian Government presumably saw the Mennoites as helpful in pursuing arimary national goal, settling the Lowlands. The Mennonire colonies are in the eastern Lowlands around Santa Criz.The South and Central American colonies are attractive because there was less pressure from the wider population to draw away the the young people. One source estimates that there are some 50,000 Memmonites living there. Most of the colonies were founded by Mennonites from Canada. They are like other Mennonite colonies reclusive, especially the ultraconservative 'old colonies'. They live in a world of horse-drawn carriages. Many cultivate sorghum. They live largekly separated from the Bolivian population. There are no cars and electrical appliances, including television. They do not allow music and sports. Women's lives in particular are circumscribed. The children do not attend school after 12 years of age. Many of the men learn Spanish, but the women who less commonly leave home, rarely do so. They wear very stabndaized clothing, almost like a uniform. , The women and girls wear plain,hand-sewn dresses. Boys and men wear store brought clothing as thet are more complicated to sew. The Mennonites raise large families. They occassionaly come into Santa Cruz, the main city in the central Lowlands, to buy needed supplies, but never travel beyond there.

Created: 10:35 PM 1/28/2013
Last updated: 10:35 PM 1/28/2013