Kirkby, Mary-Ann. I am Hutterite. Prince Albert: Polka Dot Press, 2007. 203 pages. $21.95 (paper), ISBN 978-0-9783405-1-3; $29.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-9783405-0-6

This self-published memoir deals with Mary-Ann Kirkby’s life on the Fairholme Hutterite colony in Manitoba until the age of ten, when her parents chose to leave the communal lifestyle. It then describes her family and their life until she is 18 years of age in rural Southern Manitoba. This writer was interested in how Kirkby would tell the story of her family history as it could have a been a fascinating look at life as a member of the Hutterian Brethren from both an outsider and insider perspective as Kirkby’s father, Ronald Dornn, a non-Hutterite, joined the Hutterian Brethren in Alberta as part of the Lehrer people with his German immigrant family during the Great Depression. Dornn’s father and family left the Lehrerleut to join the Kubassek people in Ontario in 1940. Finally, in 1949, after visiting the Lehrerleut of Alberta, Dornn went to New Rosedale Colony in Manitoba for a visit, and ended up joining the Schmiedeleut. Dornn later married Kirkby’s mother, Mary Maendel, a young Hutterite woman who lived with her sister and family at New Rosedale colony. The courtship and marriage of the couple is described in great detail, as is the birth of their children, and the family’s life at New Rosedale Colony, and later, at Fairholme Colony. After leaving Fairholme Colony, the Dornn’s encountered many hardships and tragedies. The children are maltreated by their classmates as they maintained much of their Hutterite culture, including costume. This is the theme of the memoir–that the Dornn’s were ostracized and mistreated both on and off the colony, with the family persevering. The story ends with Mary-Ann winning a beauty pageant in Winkler, Manitoba, which signifies that she, along her family were assimilated in Canadian culture and no longer outsiders.

This memoir is rich in detail and touches upon many aspects of Hutterite culture from the fascinating perspective of a young girl; however, it also suffers from some failings. Although many aspects of her parent’s lives are described in methodical detail, there is no structure to the story, nor is a clear account of Hutterian History given, one that would give the reader an understanding of how Kirkby’s father could join Hutterian Brethren, which is typically a closed communal society. It also assumed that the reader has knowledge of all three Leut’s of the Hutterian Brethren, as well of that of the Schmiedeleut Manitoba Hutterite colonies in the 1950’s and 60’s, which experienced an exodus of members abandoning the communal lifestyle. Details, such as the fact that other Lehrer people left with the Dornn family to join the Kubassek group in Ontario are omitted. Most troubling is that if the reader is familiar with the Hutterian Brethren in Manitoba, he or she can determine who most individuals discussed in the memoir are, especially by accessing Hutterite family record books. It is distressing to read a one-sided account of how the Dornn’s were supposedly mistreated by individuals either deceased or living as the reader has no way of knowing what version of the truth is being portrayed. This taints the richness of Kirkby’s memoir. The reader may also be troubled by too much detail in some instances (her mother’s wedding) and in others, minimal (Hutterite history). Many readers will have more questions then answers after reading this work.

Lesley Masuk, BA (Hon), MA, BSW., has done extensive research on the Hutterian Brethren of Canada, including a Master of Arts thesis on Hutterite women and their work.

Review to be published in the 2007 edition of the Hutterite Journal.