It is beyond one’s imagination as to how, in as technologically addicted a country as the United States, the Amish community has survived for the last 200 years without any significant change to their unique lifestyle. This orthodox Christian community mostly depends on agriculture and cottage industries and is strongly resistant to the use of modern conveniences in their lives.

A branch of the Old Order Amish, they migrated to the US in the early 18th century, settling primarily in Pennsylvania while some went to parts of New York, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and other states. They have been able to maintain a distinctive ethnic culture by successfully resisting acculturation and assimilation.

Amish life pivots around being kind, humble and submissive; resigned to the will of God. Fashionable dress and beard trimming is forbidden, women dress conservatively, and modern transportation, insurance and modern technology has no meaning for them.

Their rejection of automobiles, use of horse-drawn farm machinery and distinctive dress set the Amish apart from the high-tech culture of modern life

According to Mark R. Wenger, a resident of Strasbourg village which is close to Amish country, the roots of this lifestyle are deeply religious. “They survive and thrive in America because their identity is clearly defined as a ‘religious contrast-community’ to the surrounding ‘worldly English’ society. Religion and culture reinforce each other and may take different forms of cultural expression. Likewise Amish religious convictions are embodied in form — cultural practices, artifacts and traditions. They seek to be faithful to Jesus Christ all their lives, and not in just some parts. So for them, religious faith is a way of life that is distinct from the rest of the world.”

Other than English, the Amish speak a distinctive German dialect called Pennsylvanian Dutch and are great lovers of music. In a single-room-house school, Amish children are taught their folk culture, religious practices and beliefs in their own texts. No Amish is allowed to go to any school other than their own. Children’s education is restricted to grade 8, after which, children are sent to work on the farms. A typical Amish family lives, works and worships together, which largely contributes to their unique way of life. They don’t have a church so Sunday services are held at a particular home on a rotational basis where about 40 families get-together. Being pacifists, the Amish never join the army or services.

An Amish couple, Cathy and Daniel, worry about their survival as their lifestyle is threatened by hi-tech devices

“Amish youth are given a choice to leave/enter the Amish church and community. If they choose to leave and enter the ‘English’ world, they will almost certainly be cut off and excluded from family and friends for the rest of their lives. But if they stay back they are expected to abide by a set of strict social, moral and economic norms although there are degrees of variation depending upon the Amish community,” explains Mariana Bowman, a young student.

Cathy, 57, and Daniel, 59, live with their family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and are concerned about their particular way of life being influenced by the ‘English culture’. “By living in nature we follow a spiritual path to the eternal world but now our culture appears to be threatened by the modern info-tech world. For instance, the cell phone and solar battery are wreaking havoc on our traditional way of life. The Bishops resisted it very strongly in the beginning but gradually these have crept into our homes,” they explained.

Amish legacy furniutre

“My great-grandmother was Amish and my dad grew up in a large Amish community. There are a variety of sects within the Amish community, distinguished outwardly by the colours of their buggies, clothing specifications and what is or what is not allowed in their interaction with the English or the American culture. The Bishop carries much authority in determining the rules and guidelines,” said Julie, another resident of Lancaster.

“Sometimes, flexibility is exercised in some cases, especially for business purposes. For example, a family may not have a phone in their home, yet they may have one for their business. Many use computers for business but not in their homes. They would not have electricity or the internet in their homes but they may hire people to drive them for business or to go further than their buggies would take them,” she added, since horse drawn-carriages and buggies are their only means of transportation.

Traditionally, an elder of the Amish family is responsible for farming and taking care of the household. A newly-wed woman is expected to be submissive to her husband, who is the primary breadwinner of the Amish family For the last 300 years, the Amish man has earned his livelihood mostly by tilling the soil for crops and keeping livestock. However, in the recent years, the scarcity of affordable farmland has forced many Amish men to seek alternative means of generating income. In some areas, less than half the men farm for a living and the next best alternative to farming is cottage industry which facilitates the men to work at home.

Horse drawn carriages or buggies are still used for transportation

Carpentry, plumbing, roofing and working in the building industry are a part of the Amish culture. Working in a factory is considered a threat to their culture so farming and home-generated businesses are the only options. Bakeshops, craft shops, hardware stores, health food stores, quilt shops, flower shops and repair shops are but a few of the hundreds of home-based operations where work revolves around the family. A growing number of these small cottage industries cater to tourists but many serve the needs of the Amish and non-Amish neighbours alike.

“Amish are known as wonderful home furniture makers but being craftsmen themselves, they cannot market it on the websites, so they participate in different expos and exhibitions. It is considered an offense to be photographed but they cater to tourists to some extent,” said John Buras, an Amish farmer.

In the traditional Amish family, both parents must be available to supervise and train the children. An efficient mother is the focal person in the family and takes care of the house, the garden along with cooking, childcare, cleaning, laundry, barn chores and harvesting with help from the older daughters. A young Amish girl is expected to hone her skills at domestic chores so by the time she gets married, she is trained to run her own home. The wisdom of the grandparents is a treasured asset to the family and their advice is often sought and followed. Children are also seen as a valuable asset to the Amish family. For the most part, their very early years are spent playing and interacting with their siblings.

Amish toys are very simple and of course, non-electrical. By the age of five, Amish children are performing simple chores in the house or around the barn. Their workload increases as they develop the required strength and skills. If the Amish can educate and retain their children, make a living, and restrain interaction with the larger world, they will likely flourish well into the 21st century.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, August 10th, 2014