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Meet the Hutterites: Getting Blood on Her Hands

Posted by National Geographic Channels in Inside NGC on June 26, 2012
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Photo by NGT
Photo by NGT
Claudia asks the Colony to allow her to do tasks outside of traditional women's roles.

Written by Cherisse Corbin, Co-Executive Producer

When Claudia told us that she was ready to try something different and was tired of doing her normal cooking and cleaning on the colony, I thought OK – what does she have up her sleeve?  When she said she wanted to try men’s work we were excited about it!  Claudia used to drive the tractor with her Dad before he passed away and has very fond memories of it. She wanted to give it a try now that she is older to prove to herself and her colony that there is more to life than cooking and cleaning.  Claudia really didn’t think that men’s work would be that hard and was game for the challenge.  The jobs wound up being a little harder, or shall we say more gross, then she planned; especially the geese.  No women on King Colony had ever chopped a head off a goose before – EVER!  It was a big deal and Claudia was freaked out.  She did an awful job at first having to chop several times before she got the head off.  It was crazy, but her pride kept her from giving up so even with blood splattered on her face she and Lisa chopped the heads off of 30 geese.

While we were shooting the geese butchering, our camera men were right in the middle of the action and blood splattered on the camera lens.  Our camera assistant went right over with a special cloth and tried to wipe it off but it didn’t want to come off!  He had to wipe it with three different cloths for about ten minutes before it was clean enough to keep shooting.  If you look at that scene you will see a shot or two with a splotch on the upper left side of the screen…that is goose blood!

One of the most fun scenes we shot for this show was when Bertha and Anna Marie had their makeup done. While it’s not against the rules per-say it is not Hutterite tradition for women to wear makeup, so this was a big deal for them. We were all surprised when Anna Marie chose the dramatic makeup with smoky eyes and red lipstick. I think that she thought if she was going to do it, then she would go all out.  They were so cute and had such a good time, and even though wearing makeup isn’t something they do in their normal every day lives, they were able to get a glimpse of themselves in a whole new light – and I think they liked it!

_____

Tune in to an all-new episode of Meet the Hutterites: Shoot to Kill tonight, June 26th at 10P et/pt.

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  2. Money Woes and Scandalous Clothes on Meet the Hutterites: Show Me the Money!
  3. Blood Loss Struggle
  4. Biblical Plagues Part 2: The River of Blood

Comments

  1. Mike
    Pittsburgh, PA
    June 26, 2012, 9:38 pm

    Carver had every right to break that kids nose. He was a bully and Carver stood up for himself. I’ll bet that kid will think again before trying to bully another kid in the school hallway.

  2. deb
    June 26, 2012, 11:50 pm

    I am rather disturbed by “Meet the Hutterites”. The foul language, disrespect toward others and absolute subjugation of females is truly horrible. I don’t see or hear anything actually founded around religious beliefs, but rather tradition. Tradition is all well and good but when used cruelly to control another’s position within the group is abuse. If they are required to drop out of school after the 8th grade, how is it that Wesley went far beyond that and went to college without being shunned or expelled from the colony?

  3. Me
    Her
    June 27, 2012, 12:00 am

    Keep ur head up! Ur young once don’t loose ur self! Be strong n don’t let those BOYS tell u what to do! SWST!! (Strong Women Stick Together!!)

  4. Plava LaGuna
    Baltimore MD
    June 27, 2012, 12:30 am

    I love this show! I find it fascinating that people are still living like this in 2012 & I wonder how long life on the colony can continue to exist as it is. Claudia cannot be the only one who is questioning the traditions & wanting to change them. Thanks for giving us something interesting to watch this summer.

  5. MMY
    June 27, 2012, 10:06 am

    I love this show and these spunky women! I laugh until I cry. I hope it helps others TOLERATE a different lifestyle then maybe they think is right. Who cares if they live a different lifestyle, it shows underneath it all we really are the same no matter what. LOVE!!

  6. Jan
    Jupiter Florida
    June 27, 2012, 4:38 pm

    My daughter and I love this show and especially Bertha and Claudia Hofer! We like that they question the elders and the traditions…that is part of being an educated woman. My daughter loves to cook and enjoys watching the group cooking. May God bless the Hofer family in all that they do and we would like to thank them and others in the colony for showing us what life would be like in their world. It was a risk for them to open themselves up to us all. Thank you!

  7. DAWN
    June 27, 2012, 4:48 pm

    I LOVE LOVE THIS SHOW….CLAUDIA AND BERTHA ROCK

  8. Imeon
    June 29, 2012, 10:22 am

    I was very interested in watching this show since I grew up Mennonite but I am so surprised how they speak so horribly, drink, party and don’t follow the colony rules. It also seems like some of the scenes are scripted. To me when they are speaking among themselves in scenes it’s as of they are trying to act and not be themselves. Anyone else see this?

  9. blank
    Ohio
    June 29, 2012, 11:43 am

    @Imeon – personally, I think that when they are speaking amongst themselves on camera they are not used to speaking in English so it appears to be as if they’re acting. They’re primary language is German so the older ones look uncomfortable on camera and speaking English.

  10. lonepine
    medicine hat
    June 30, 2012, 11:06 pm

    all you out there hope you all undestand this is not what people on the colony do everyday if cant say nice things dont say nothing at all the bible says do not judge so you dont get judge by the big guy

  11. Kay Wilson
    Michigan City, IN
    July 2, 2012, 11:14 pm

    Everyone here agrees…. we need more BERTHA!!!!! Love that lady!

  12. Kathleen Devine
    United States
    July 4, 2012, 2:58 pm

    Watching Claudia and the other young women’s struggles remind me of every other young women’s decisions except Claudia and the other Hutterites have the colony behind them. It must be nice to have 59 people rooting for you instead of a one or two in a normal US circumstance. This episode that showed Tammi deciding between finishing school and chores was very unrealistic because Tammi can finish her schooling on line or through a GED program. Most girls in the US are being told by 16 you will be providing for yourself by the time you are….. and hopefully not 17 or 18 but that is the case for many. I certainly was told that I would have to work even if I did have a family. It would be my own lifestyle decision to be a stay at home Mom while their father worked 14 hour days in an office. Ok enough about comparing and get down to the point. Every young lady now has the opportunity of enterprise through the internet. I don’t know if the Hutterite women are up to it but there are businesses on line to sell products. The Amish are ahead on this making stand alone fire places, quilts, Homebaked goods. It seems that Claudia is bored and she could be researching helping the colony with a new enterprise like hydroponic berries, herbs ect. There may have never been a Greenhouse boss or a “factory boss” but I am darn sure that if Claudia puts her mind to something she will preserve. All of us in traditional societies understand the struggle of leaving conservative values and testing others, in the end one has to live with one’s choices and make the best of them. It would be so intriguing to see if this King Colony can adapt to 21st living. There is one thing that Claudia and other gals have and that is being surrounded by well meaning men who from the viewer’s point of view look better than most of the addicted to materialism, alcohol, pleasure, or drugs that the rest of us have to chose from. There are some nice young men out there who are hard working, thoughtful, family oriented, and not into all fun and games but not like there seem to be in the colony. I like this show.

  13. Jack
    Oregon
    July 4, 2012, 4:07 pm

    This show should be called meet the rude-ites.
    These people are so selfish, immature and rude to each other.
    I really don’t find it entertaining.

  14. donna jean jones
    united states
    July 10, 2012, 10:24 pm

    This show is wrong for using the LORD” THE BIBLE does not say the me can drink BEER an there nothing wrong with the girls dresses it u can ride in FORD PICK UP then girls can wear colorful clothes,The BIBLE dont say your clothes can only be this colors,I FEEL THIS SHOW IS A FONEY
    “

  15. Lidia Torcaill
    USA
    July 11, 2012, 7:02 pm

    I congratulate Claudia for having the strength to come into the 21st century and finally dress in work pants to do the job right-that is one smart girl. I can’t believe at the men of the Hutterite colony call themselves farmers, because any farmer with a lick of sense doesn’t let his female hired hands and family run around in a dress to do the chores.I guess the hutterite men missed the boat on the stupidity of demanding that your female hired hands wear dresses rather than work pants for working on a farm with, obviously the hutterite men don’t care about the safety of their female hired hands this must be why stupidity kicks in and they demand that their women wear dresses when working on the farm.

  16. Jermaine Martinez
    United States
    July 20, 2012, 10:37 pm

    I think Claudia is beautiful

  17. Lisa
    Wisconsin
    September 14, 2012, 6:56 pm

    LOVE THE SHOW !!! Much more entertaining than most reality shows and a lot less drama. They have drama, but it is funny drama:)

  18. Cara
    michigan
    November 17, 2012, 5:40 pm

    I support your mother, Bertha, and her efforts to have her children educated. I would send her money in an effort to help her. Children are a mother’s everything. Her children can have both worlds, educations and religion. If I can help let me know.