THE AMISHTHE AMISHA gentle people living a A gentle people living a

simple lifesimple life

Who are the Amish?Who are the Amish?►They are members of a particular Christian They are members of a particular Christian

denomination.denomination.►They are best known for their They are best known for their simple living, ,

plain dress and for resisting modern plain dress and for resisting modern conveniences like technology.conveniences like technology.

►Amish communities are usually entirely self-Amish communities are usually entirely self-sufficient and deliberately separated from the sufficient and deliberately separated from the outside world.outside world.

►The Amish way of life originated in Switzerland, The Amish way of life originated in Switzerland, but these days exists only in the U.S. (mainly but these days exists only in the U.S. (mainly Pennsylvania) and some parts of Canada.Pennsylvania) and some parts of Canada.

Parts of North America that Parts of North America that contain Amish communitiescontain Amish communities

Typical Amish clothing/dressTypical Amish clothing/dress

The Amish church’s rulesThe Amish church’s rules►The rules of the Amish church, which is The rules of the Amish church, which is

called the called the OrdnungOrdnung, are quite strict , are quite strict and must be obeyed by all.and must be obeyed by all.

►These rules cover most aspects of day-These rules cover most aspects of day-to-day living.to-day living.

►Those who do not follow the rules, and Those who do not follow the rules, and will not repent for having done so, can will not repent for having done so, can be excommunicated/shunned from the be excommunicated/shunned from the church/community.church/community.

These rules include:These rules include: No powerline electricityNo powerline electricity Limiting the use of phonesLimiting the use of phones Not owning or using motor vehiclesNot owning or using motor vehicles Wearing a specific style of dressWearing a specific style of dress Not buying insuranceNot buying insurance Not receiving any form of government welfareNot receiving any form of government welfare Not serving in the militaryNot serving in the military Marrying partners from within their own communityMarrying partners from within their own community Only being schooled up until Year 8Only being schooled up until Year 8 Using corporal punishment to discipline childrenUsing corporal punishment to discipline children Practising manual labour, mostly in rural choresPractising manual labour, mostly in rural chores

Amish forms of Amish forms of transportationtransportation

The “clash of cultures” between the Amish and the “outside world” can make

for some unusual observations.

An Amish sewing machine

The Amish have learned how to get by

without technology very effectively

An Amish farmer at workAn Amish farmer at work

The Amish in popular cultureThe Amish in popular culture► Several films, TV programs, Several films, TV programs,

books, plays and songs have books, plays and songs have revolved around Amish themes.revolved around Amish themes.

► Perhaps the most commonly Perhaps the most commonly known of these is the film known of these is the film Witness, which will be the focus , which will be the focus of our film study this term.of our film study this term.

► It is about a police investigation It is about a police investigation into a murder which an Amish into a murder which an Amish boy witnessed, and the clash of boy witnessed, and the clash of cultures which ensues between cultures which ensues between the detective and the boy’s the detective and the boy’s community.community.

► The film won an Oscar for its The film won an Oscar for its screenplay in 1985.screenplay in 1985.

Other films…Other films…► Another movie based in an Another movie based in an

Amish community is Amish community is For Richer or Poorer, starring , starring Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley.Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley.

► It is a comedy about a rich It is a comedy about a rich city couple who “hide out” city couple who “hide out” amongst an Amish community amongst an Amish community after being caught by the after being caught by the government cheating on their government cheating on their taxes.taxes.

► They unsurprisingly struggle They unsurprisingly struggle with the adjustments that this with the adjustments that this more “simple” life requires.more “simple” life requires.

Amish in the CityAmish in the City► In 2004, a reality TV show called In 2004, a reality TV show called Amish in the CityAmish in the City was was

produced.produced.► In this show, five Amish teenagers were placed in a house In this show, five Amish teenagers were placed in a house

with six “mainstream” American teens, and their lives were with six “mainstream” American teens, and their lives were filmed.filmed.

► This played on the traditional Amish phase of This played on the traditional Amish phase of RumspringaRumspringa (which means “running around”), which allows certain short-(which means “running around”), which allows certain short-term freedoms to Amish teens.term freedoms to Amish teens.

► This period precedes the time when young Amish people This period precedes the time when young Amish people must decide whether or not they wish to join the Amish must decide whether or not they wish to join the Amish church (Amish people are generally not baptised until the church (Amish people are generally not baptised until the age of 18).age of 18).

Devil’s PlaygroundDevil’s Playground► In 2002, a documentary called In 2002, a documentary called Devil’s Devil’s

PlaygroundPlayground was made. was made.► It was about Amish teenagers going It was about Amish teenagers going

through their phase of through their phase of RumspringaRumspringa, and , and focussed on their experiences in focussed on their experiences in sampling the “English” (non-Amish) sampling the “English” (non-Amish) world, which is referred to as the world, which is referred to as the “devil’s playground”.“devil’s playground”.

► In the film, many of the teens drive cars, In the film, many of the teens drive cars, get jobs, have romantic/sexual get jobs, have romantic/sexual relationships, and experiment with relationships, and experiment with alcohol, tobacco and drugs.alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

► Most of the teens return to their Most of the teens return to their community, although one girl is later community, although one girl is later “shunned” after leaving the church.“shunned” after leaving the church.

Amish ParadiseAmish Paradise► ““Weird Al” Yankovic Weird Al” Yankovic

released a song in 1996 released a song in 1996 called called Amish ParadiseAmish Paradise, , which was a parody of the which was a parody of the rap hit rap hit Gangsta’s ParadiseGangsta’s Paradise..

► In the song, the “narrator” In the song, the “narrator” praises his plain, praises his plain, uncomplicated existence.uncomplicated existence.

► As you will come to see, As you will come to see, some of the scenes in the some of the scenes in the music video are music video are references to the movie references to the movie WitnessWitness..

Tragedy in 2006Tragedy in 2006► An Amish community made world An Amish community made world

headlines recently when a headlines recently when a shooting took place in its one-shooting took place in its one-classroom school.classroom school.

► It rocked the community of Nickel It rocked the community of Nickel Mines in Pennsylvania to its core.Mines in Pennsylvania to its core.

► During the incident, the shooter During the incident, the shooter (Charles Roberts IV, (Charles Roberts IV, pictured pictured rightright) took the students and their ) took the students and their teacher hostage before killing teacher hostage before killing five young girls and then himself.five young girls and then himself.

Forgiveness….Forgiveness….► Following the shooting, the Amish community Following the shooting, the Amish community

shocked many by immediately and notably shocked many by immediately and notably expressing forgiveness for the killer, who expressing forgiveness for the killer, who himself was married and had three young himself was married and had three young children.children.

► To many, it perfectly encapsulated the gentle To many, it perfectly encapsulated the gentle nature of the Amish people, and their nature of the Amish people, and their willingness to carry out God’s will.willingness to carry out God’s will.

Quotes from the Quotes from the community…community…

““We must not think evil of this man.”We must not think evil of this man.”““He had a mother and a wife and a soul He had a mother and a wife and a soul

and now he's standing before a just God.”and now he's standing before a just God.”““I don't think there's anybody here that I don't think there's anybody here that

wants to do anything but forgive and not wants to do anything but forgive and not only reach out to those who have suffered only reach out to those who have suffered a loss in that way but to reach out to the a loss in that way but to reach out to the family of the man who committed these family of the man who committed these acts.”acts.”

Further acts of forgiveness…Further acts of forgiveness…► A Roberts family spokesman said an Amish neighbour A Roberts family spokesman said an Amish neighbour

comforted the Roberts family just hours after the comforted the Roberts family just hours after the shooting and extended forgiveness to them.shooting and extended forgiveness to them.

► Amish community members visited and comforted Amish community members visited and comforted Roberts’s widow, parents, and parents-in-law. One Roberts’s widow, parents, and parents-in-law. One Amish man held Roberts’s sobbing father in his arms, Amish man held Roberts’s sobbing father in his arms, reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him.reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him.

► The Amish have also set up a charitable fund for the The Amish have also set up a charitable fund for the family of the shooter.family of the shooter.

► About 30 members of the Amish community attended About 30 members of the Amish community attended Roberts’s funeral, and Marie Roberts, the widow of the Roberts’s funeral, and Marie Roberts, the widow of the killer, was one of the few outsiders invited to the killer, was one of the few outsiders invited to the funeral of one of the victims. funeral of one of the victims.

A private people unwillingly A private people unwillingly thrust into the world’s spotlightthrust into the world’s spotlight

► Here is a video which contains Here is a video which contains images of the events that images of the events that occurred on the day of, and the occurred on the day of, and the days that followed, the days that followed, the shooting.shooting.

► The community has since The community has since demolished the school and built demolished the school and built a new one, which was a new one, which was deliberately and decidedly deliberately and decidedly different to the original.different to the original.

► It was renamed the New Hope It was renamed the New Hope School.School.