COLUMN: Village News – Cottonwoods, poetry, fire, and more

Pioneer Days has been an annual celebration in Steinbach since Mennonite Heritage Village opened as a museum 61 years ago. Demonstrating pioneer activities have always been important, like threshing grain using the steam engine, or doing fieldwork using horses to pull the farm equipment, or baking bread in an outdoor oven and spinning wool in a heritage home. These activities remind us of the way our communities began and developed in the early years of settlement in Manitoba.

Gathering as a community to share these experiences, to recall stories of our grandparents, our great grandparents, and our great great grandparents, and to eat waffles with white sauce or Vereneke with Schmauntfat and Rhubarb Plautz, provides the foundation for understanding our roots and for building a growing, caring community. Pioneer Days encourages conversations between older and younger generations, passing on stories, values and traditions.

The program this year has all the usual features, including an Old Colony Worship Service on Sunday at 10 a.m. and a Sunday afternoon horse show where drivers and horse teams demonstrate skills needed to accomplish the work in a pioneer community. We will also host a Saengerfest service on Sunday afternoon in the auditorium at 3 p.m., featuring a choir and congregational hymn singing. But we have some added features as well.

Where the Cottonwoods Grow is a 70-minute feature film created for the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Mennonites to southern Manitoba and it will be shown on Saturday and Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the MHV Auditorium. The film starts with the origins of the Anabaptist movement in Europe and tells the story of why Mennonites came to Canada in the 1870’s. MHV is glad to offer two shows during the festival weekend.

Artist and speaker Gareth Brandt will present a talk about the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism titled “From the Violence of Munster to the Peace of Menno” at the Dirk Willems Peace Exhibit on the MHV grounds during Pioneer Days. Gareth will speak about how the violent events of the Munster rebellion in the early 1500’s deeply influenced Menno Simons’ (and subsequent Mennonites’) spirituality and theology, especially in their commitment to peace. The presentations on Saturday, August 2nd and Sunday, August 3rd take place at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The presentation on Monday, Aug. 4 takes place at 10:30 a.m.

We are excited to be opening a new exhibit right after Pioneer Days celebrations are complete. On Aug. 6, we will be opening “On Fire For Christ: 500 Years of Discipleship From the Anabaptists to Us”. The opening ceremony will take place on Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. and guided tours will be offered on Thursdays and Saturdays until Sept. 6. MHV is very happy to partner with a local group of church congregations who researched and created this exhibit.

Whether you attend Pioneer Days every year, or whether it has been a while since you attended, MHV program staff and volunteers are ready to welcome you with traditional activities, mouth-watering food and thought-provoking programs. We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Visit www.mhv.ca for full details!

Upcoming events

Aug. 2 to 4 – Pioneer Days: Celebrate the 151st anniversary of Mennonites arriving in Manitoba this summer during the August Long Weekend. Great food, live music entertainment and pioneer demonstrations.

Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. – New exhibit opening ceremony. On Fire For Christ: 500 Years of Discipleship From the Anabaptists to Us. A new exhibit in the MHV Auditorium.

Aug. 16 – Peace Trek: An annual cycling fundraiser together with Eden Foundation, highlighting certain historic sites between The Mennonite Landing and the MHV Peace Exhibit. Details at www.mhv.ca.

Sept. 1 – Fall On The Farm: Cultural Showcase – Watch harvest demonstrations throughout the day and enjoy food from many cultures represented in our community, as we highlight the multi-cultural aspects of our community.

Sept. 6 – Tractor Drive: Our annual antique tractor fundraising drive including a 50 km countryside ride through several local communities.

May to September – The museum, the Livery Barn Restaurant, the General Store, and Village Books and Gifts are open 7 days per week.