2018 was the first full year for Mennotoba. (We started in October 2017). I had a blast exploring Manitoba Mennonite culture more deeply and visiting many great sites! I look forward to learning more and sharing it with you in 2019!
In the past year, we had a bunch of great interviews with writer Jessica Penner, Conservationist Jodi Goerzen, Archivist Conrad Stoesz, Restaurant owner Bryan Bartel, Professor and author Kate Bowler, Bakers Holly and Julie, Comedian Matt Falk, Artist Margruite Krahn, Restauranteurs Don and Marlene Hoeppner, BBQer Tammy Waldner, Red Cross worker Sam Dueck, Author Casey Plett, Blogger Ed Wall, Historian Janis Thiessen, Kroeger clock expert Kathleen Wiens, Novelist Miriam Toews, Rosenort foodie Tracy Dueck, Writer Abigail Carl-Klassen, Composer Carol Ann Weaver, Chortitz, Saskatchewan-resident Tracey Nuestaeter, Author Owen Toews, Neubergthal-descendent Jamie Karr, Writer Mitch Toews, and graphic designer Brent Manke! Wow that’s quite the list! Thanks to all our participants! A lot of great and interesting stories to tell!
Some of these interviews were read by thousands of people, but I’m not about to rank them for you. After all, Mennonites are supposed to be humble. (Ha!)
We’ve also had plenty of other articles and blog posts on Manitoba Mennonite people, places, and history. Here are the most popular posts of 2018!
5. Today it’s Randolph, But Back Then It Was Chortitz I think by now I may have written about every Chortitz village there is! This is a post about the Chortitz in the East Reserve, just outside Steinbach.
4. Hard Truths Dragged Into the Light: Eleanor Chornoboy’s “Katharina: Mennonite Girl From Russia” I’ve had the privilege of reviewing quite a few books for Mennotoba!
3. And When They Shall Ask: A Movie Review A documentary about the Russian Mennonite experience, made in the 1980s. I’ve always known about this film, and finally watched it for the first time this year!
2. The Story of Peter B. Koop is Just Really Sad When you start exploring Mennonite history, the stories are not always happy.
1.A Mennonite Abortion Recipe? This post is about one of the fascinating and important historic documents held at the Mennonite Heritage Archives in Winnipeg.