COLUMN: Village News – Mennonite Reflections: One last visit

Our feature exhibit in our Gerhard Ens Gallery has been on display for the last 16 months and thousands of visitors have engaged with the topic, Mennonite Reflections: Arriving In Manitoba 150 Years Ago. Have you seen the exhibit? We are only a few months away from our next exhibit opening in May on the topic of Mennonites and Medicine. But this is your last chance to interact with this well-curated exhibit that explores the migration of Mennonites to southern Manitoba in the 1870’s.

Between 1874 and 1880, a third of all Mennonites in Imperial Russia left to settle in North America. About 7,000 of them, the Kleine Gemeinde, Bergthalers, and Old Colony, settled in Manitoba between 1874 and 1876. Most of us are connected to this story, either as descendants of the migrants or as community members who have relationships with many of the descendants.

The exhibit is divided into seven themes with the following highlights:

Part 1: Leaving Imperial Russia (currently southern Ukraine)

– A look back to the years the Mennonites lived in Imperial Russia, leading up to their emigration to Canada.

– While some Mennonites had prospered, only about half owned any land.

– With increasing pressure from the Russian government to assimilate, the more traditionalist Mennonites groups began to consider moving to another country.

Part 2: Manitoba 1870

– The development of the new province of Manitoba and the effects this had on First Nations and the Red River Metis.

– The Mennonites settled on the ancestral lands of First Nations and the Red River Metis.

Part 3: Passage

– A focus on the 15,000-kilometer journey itself, which typically took about 45 days from their villages in Russia to their new lands in Manitoba.

– This was an arduous journey which saw the Mennonites travelling by wagon, train, boat, ship, and oxcart.

– Sicknesses and death occurred throughout this journey.

Part 4: Arrival and Settlement

– The Mennonites’ arrival and consequent settlement.

– From meagre beginnings, small homesteads and villages were established.

Part 6: Neighbours

– The Mennonites’ neighbours included First Nations and Metis as well as English and French settlers.

– It was often with the help of these neighbours that the Mennonites were able to adapt quickly to Manitoba’s harsh climate.

Part 7: Changes

– The years of growth and change following the establishment of villages, farms, and businesses.

– From difficult beginnings, progress was achieved.

We have one more week to visit this exhibit. This is a good opportunity to reflect on the stories of hardship and hope our forebearers experienced over the past 150 years as well as the legacy they have left for us.

We are open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. We hope to see you soon!

Upcoming events

Feb. 26 – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Exhibit Explorers – Join us at the Mennonite Heritage Village for an engaging morning set among the fascinating artifacts in MHV’s Gallery! During Exhibit Explorers: Craft & Story Hour, children will enjoy lively stories and creative crafts that spark imagination and curiosity. Free admission.

March 8 – 7 p.m. – Community Vespers Service – A sacred evening with choral music and scripture readings.

March 21 – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Pioneer Workshop Series: Seed Starting Workshop. Join MHV and Shari Pendergrast from the Steinbach and Area Garden Club for a Seed Starting Workshop.