The Impact of Low German Speaking Mennonite History and Culture on Health and Health Care [PDF]
Peggy Snyder MN, NP PHC
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The stories of migration for Low German speaking Mennonite people hold many commonalities with all people who find themselves uprooted from their homelands. However, religious beliefs, cultural values and migration history create a unique experience for this group. Understanding these characteristics may be important for health care providers and social service workers who seek to provide support across ideological and cultural divides.
Who are the Low German Speaking Mennonites?
Low German speaking Mennonites (LGSM) comprise of a small subsection of a larger group of Mennonites who belong to the Anabaptist faith tradition emerging from the Reformation in the 1500’s. LGSM practices flow from their interpretation of scriptural beliefs, include a strong emphasis on community and an acceptance of a patriarchal authority structure. The group is primarily agrarian, originally of Dutch, Swiss and German descent who experienced numerous migrations throughout their 400 year history. (Epp, 1976; Dyck, 1993).
The most recent migrations during the 20th and 21st centuries found them moving from Russia to the prairie provinces of Canada, to Mexico and South America and finally returning to Canada. (Old Colony Mennonite Support, 2011), (Lowen, 2008)
Much of the community life is instructed by church leaders. Insistence on separation from the dominant culture and language limits opportunity for improving their financial welfare. Children are educated primarily by rote learning using the Bible, hymnbooks and religious texts in high German, and they leave school at ages 12-13 with serious gaps in both numeracy and literacy. In the mid 1920’s, following a reversal of government policy permitting children to be educated in parochial schools, many Low German Speaking Mennonites from Manitoba migrated to colonies in Mexico (Bowen, 2010; Old Colony Mennonite Support, 2011). Unfortunately drought and limited land for growing families eventually led to failure of the agrarian lifestyle leading to migration back to Canada in recent years.
Health Care Beliefs and Practices
Poverty and lack of education are arguably the most significant determinants of health for this population. It may also be important to consider the influence of intergenerational trauma as it relates to the tragic history of violence experienced in Russia and multiple migrations uprooting families and communities. Intergenerational trauma results in decline in family and social relationships, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and difficulty expressing emotions. (Bombay, Matheson and Anisman, 2009; Hirsch, 2008)
Although families struggle in Canada, they report their life is much easier than in Mexico. Some families may be migrant workers following agricultural seasons. Others will settle in one place for varying periods of time. All will work long hours for low wages and no benefits usually in agriculture or farm gate manufacturing industries. Those who have citizenship or legal status have health cards but some wait for years to get residency permits.
Reproductive health remains a taboo topic for young women. It is common for women to know little of biological functions like menstruation, conception, and family planning. Children are a gift from God and preventing a pregnancy is considered a sin (Klug, Babcock and Hill, 2009; Klug and Fan, 2011).
A woman, with a history of several miscarriages and four pre-term pregnancies requiring several months of bed rest, feels compelled to discuss any recommendations for permanent contraception with her pastor.
Consanguinity within this closed community is common and children born with genetic anomalies may be seen as testing of spiritual strength
A couple with two developmentally delayed children declines community supports believing that their children are a gift from God and it is their responsibility to care for them.
Preventive health care is a remote concept for people who struggle to access care when they are ill. Childhood immunization, although valued by some, are viewed with suspicion by others. Myths of adverse events are prevalent requiring health care workers to carefully unpack these beliefs. Preventive strategies for cancer screening and chronic illness screening are declined. A reason for this may be that taking time from work for activities that provide no visible benefit means a tangible loss of income. (Treaster et al. 2006).
Chronic disease management of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease etc. becomes challenging for transient individuals. Poverty contributes to poor compliance with medication regimes, transportation issues and family responsibilities pose barriers to regular monitoring. Myths and misunderstanding about physiology contribute to a blasé attitude of managing chronic illness and acceptance of risky alternative practices.
A middle aged patient with uncontrolled diabetes transitions between Mexico and Canada, each time returning to Canada with life threatening elevated blood glucose. Finding financial resources to support treatment is complicated. Failing vision and decreased renal function is viewed as just a part of her lot in life.
Mental health concerns are prevalent with both men and women experiencing depression and anxiety. Alcohol and substance abuse contribute to family dysfunction. Women are particularly vulnerable to depression in this patriarchal society that places them at risk of spousal abuse and other forms of external control.
Some families become involved in trafficking drugs from Mexico to improve their financial situation. Many families are impacted by the violence currently experienced in Mexico. Stories of family members kidnapped or killed by drug cartels are becoming tragically familiar.
Approaches to Working with the Community
Poverty coupled with illiteracy are the greatest barriers to healthcare for LGSMs. Providers must be comfortable in asking if the treatments they prescribe are affordable. Taking time to provide clear verbal instructions around any kind of health teaching is important for this oral society.
Social coherence created through group sessions on topics such as healthy babies and women’s health provide opportunities for community support and debunking myths in an atmosphere of collective learning. One community has developed a collaborative effort among schools, social services and health care workers to improve literacy and numeracy with an end goal of reducing poverty and achieving improved health.
In spite of difficult stories there are numerous examples of strong resilient families. Many in Canada are working hard to rebuild cohesive communities and there is great hope for the next generation to have a better life.
References
Bombay, A., K Matheson, and H. Anisman. November 2009. “Intergenerational Trauma. Convergence of Multiple Processing Among First Nations People in Canada.” Journal de la Sante.
Bowen, D.S. October 2010. “Resistance,Acquiescence and Accommodation: the Establishment of Public Schools in and Old Colony Mennonite Community in Canada.” Mennonite Quarterly Review. Accessed 03 15, 2015. http://www.academia.edu/11940961/Resistance_Acquiescence_and_Accommodation_The_Establishment_of_Public_Schools_in_a_Conservative_Old_Colony_Community.
Dyck, C.J. 1993. Introduction to Mennonite History . 3rd. Waterloo ON: Herald Press.
Epp, F.H. 1976. Mennonite Exodus: The Rescue and Resettlement of the Russian Mennonites Since the Communist Revolution. Altona, Manitoba: D.W Friesen &Sons Ltd.
Hirsch, M. 2008. “The Generation of Post Memory.” Poetics Today 20 (1). Accessed March 15, 2915. http://facweb.northseattle.edu/cscheuer/Winter%202012/Engl%20102%20Culture/Readings/Hirsch%20Postmemory.pdf.
Klug, J.C, and HY Fan. 2011. “Suffering: Is the Concept Significant among Low German Speaking Mennonites:.” Journal of Mennonite studies. Accessed January 12, 2015. http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/63578433/suffering-concept-significant-among-low-german-speaking-mennonites.
Klug, J.C, M Babcock, and S Hill. 2009. “Being a Woman: Perspectives of Low German-Speaking Mennonite Women.” Health Care Women International 30 (4): 324-338. Accessed February 22, 2015. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19255886.
Lowen, Royder. 2008. “To the Ends of the Earth: An Introduction to the Conservative Low German Mennonite in the Americas.” Mennonite Quarterly Review 427-440.
Old Colony Mennonite Support. 2011. Called to Mexico: Bringing hope and literacy to the Old Colony Mennonites. Nappanee, IN: Carlisle Printing. Accessed 03 15, 2015. http://www.academia.edu/11940961/Resistance_Acquiescence_and_Accommodation_The_Establishment_of_Public_Schools_in_a_Conservative_Old_Colony_Community.
Treaster, S, S.R Hawley, A.M Paschal, C.S Molgaard, and T St. Romain. 2006. “Addressing Health Disparities in Highly Specialized Minority Populations: Case Study of Mexican Mennonite Farmworkers.” Journal of Community Health 31 (2). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16737172.
