MennoFolk 2A Sampler of Mennonite & Amish Folklore edited by Ervin Beck |
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Ervin Beck follows his popular and critically welcomed MennoFolk (Herald Press, 2004) with this collection of folklore studies from Amish and Mennonite communities across North America. Among the lore presented here:
- Daughters and wives from the Lockport, Ohio, Mennonite Church recount the origins of their colorful nicknames, including Pearl Chuancey, Wilma Gin, and Marjory Dig.
- Former Amish recall the use of "powwow" to treat birthmarks, "flesh decay", and bleeding.
- Mennonites of Dutch-Prussian-Russian descent both rue and relish derogatory terms like Pelsmetz (fur cap), and proverbial insults like Nein klug (you're as smart as number nine).
- Alumni from Mennonite summer camps describe the folk dramas of their traditional skit nights, featuring "Just a Russian," "Vipers Are Coming," and "Cleaning Out Ears."
"Ervin Beck takes you on an intriguing journey into the subculture of the Mennonite world. Beck helps his readers understand the glue that holds the social fabric of this group together. Personally, this sampler of folklore took me back into my own history and helped me to reconnect with the idiosyncrasies that helped to shape my life. Ervin Beck is a gift to the Anabaptist world that wants to stay connected to their rich past." - Joseph Yoder, Director of Menno-Hof
About the Author
Ervin Beck, author of Herald Press' first MennoFolk, was Professor of English at Goshen College from 1967 to 2003, teaching English, folklore, and postcolonial and Mennonite literature. He has also been a visiting scholar at the University of Sheffield and the University of Warwick, in England, and Fulbright Professor of English at University College of Belize. Ervin has published widely in scholarly journals on folklore, folk arts, English literature, postcolonial literature and Mennonite studies.