Photographer Captures Simple Life Of Mexican Mennonite Women (VIDEO)

They do not watch television, go to parties, or engage in the activities that we find normal, and yet, their hopes and dreams are arguably a lot like most of ours. Eunice Adorno's intimate portraits of a mysterious culture present a different way to look at Mennonite women.

The Mennonites left Canada, where they were being required to assimilate, and thrive today in small, isolated populations in Mexico. There they continue practicing their 19th century beliefs of non-violence and love of Christ. Adorno gained the trust of these isolated, mysterious women and began to capture intimate images of their daily lives. From their simple daily rituals to their tangible care for each other, the photographs capture a lifestyle that is as beautiful conceptually as it is aesthetically. The photography collection is now a book entitled "Las Mujeres Flores" -- the flower women.

Although they did not speak the same language, (the Mennonite women spoke German), Adorno's images reveal our languages may not be all that different after all.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article stated the Mennonites were persecuted and expelled from Canada. They in fact migrated to avoid sending their children to mandatory assimilationist schools.

Comments

[klincklanc]

07:52 AM on 02/24/2012

Their lifestyle probably means they deal w/less bs than many Americans.

[HellBank]

10:32 AM on 02/24/2012

I rather deal with bs than have to use an outhouse in Mexico.

[klincklanc]

11:25 AM on 02/24/2012

One hole is as good as another.

[sierraseven]

04:04 AM on 02/24/2012

"Mysterious" lives? Really?

Unusual, sure. Modest, simple, a bit old-fashioned by mainstream US standards. But "mysterious"? I don't see it. I met Mennonite folks in Virginia - they are deeply religious, and have strong values about work, honesty, and family. There's no mystery, though - no secrecy about how they live. Perhaps the author is easily mystified.

[mira chancleta]

11:20 PM on 02/23/2012

When I was a graduate student in the Midwest, I did volunteer translations at the university hospital. One sunday morning I got a call to come to the Emergency Room because there were some "mexicans" there and no one spoke "mexican".

I rode my bike to the ER and walked in looking for the "mexicans".and didn't see any.

The ER doctor came out of one of the cubicles and pulled me over and said he was glad I was there because no one on staff could speak to the "mexicans" in "mexican".

He introduced me to this family of about 14 who were standing around the bed of a boy of about 10 who had stepped on broken glass at a highway rest area and the police patrolling the area brought him and the family with him to the ER.

As I began to speak to the "mexicans", imagine my shock when NOT ONE spoke Spanish (or "mexican"), but I was able to make out what sounded like German. I called a friend who was a PhD student in German and he came down and was able to communicate with them immediately.

We all learned something that day. Where were they going?

To Manitoba to introduce several of their young boys (16 y/o) to their new wives-to-be, who would then return to Mexico with their families.

And to think that all we hear today about Mexico is about illegals, drug cartels and hairless dogs.

[hopper250]

12:17 PM on 02/24/2012

You must have been in the southern midwest. Upper Midwest area most Mennonites speak English as well as German, and very few people would have made that mistake.

[mira chancleta]

12:46 PM on 02/24/2012

these Mennonites were from the Mexican state of Chihuahua and spoke NO English, since they were NOT from the US...they were en route to Canada to arrange marriages for several of their young boys with other Mennonites still in Canada.

[tbone99]

08:37 PM on 02/23/2012

strangely still very white after all these years and still german speaking . Hmmmmm

Nice of Mexico's goverment to give them land while all over Mexico indigenous people have been robbed of theirs

[grod805]

08:42 PM on 02/23/2012

Mexico has always been friendlier to its immigrants than its indigenous and meztiso population.

[Arturo Ramrez]

03:06 AM on 02/24/2012

The lands were sold to them many, many, maaaany years ago, so there's no point of comparisson.

[armedandliberal]

07:08 PM on 02/23/2012

I was hoping for more pics of Mennonite women on the trampoline!

[IfIonlyknew]

08:04 PM on 02/23/2012

At least you got a two for one.

[PrairieGayCompanion]

06:37 PM on 02/23/2012

A few years ago our state learned that a large group of Mexican Mennonites was relocating to an area of southeast Kansas. To prepare, they hired a number of Spanish bi-lingual teachers for the schools. The children spoke German.

[Rob Paterson1]

04:42 PM on 02/23/2012

where my grandparents are from, met a couple of them a few years ago lovely Mexicans!