In Her Own Voice : Childbirth Stories From Mennonite Women

Winnipeg writer Katherine Martens interviewed 26 women from the Mennonite community in southern Manitoba, ranging in age from 22 to 88 years old. They had many different backgrounds, but they all had one important characteristic: all were mothers.In the course of these interviews, Martens was searching for answers to questions that affected her both as a Mennonite and as a woman. How did they feel when they learned of the pregnancy? How did they choose home or hospital birth? How did the traditions of the Mennonite culture affect them as wives and mothers? As they talked, many spoke about the joys and trials of giving birth, and they also told Martens stories about other parts of their lives. Some had escaped the Russian Revolution to emigrate to Canada; others spent their entire lives in rural Manitoba, part of the close-knit Mennonite community, running farms and bearing as many as 15 children. Younger women who had formally left the Mennonite church were still conscious of the impact of the beliefs and customs on their lives.Many women were surprised to be approached for an interview, insisting that they had "no stories to tell." One was visited in a dream by her dead husband, who told her to "leave that alone." Yet, in the privacy of their kitchens and parlours, over sociable cups of tea, many did share with Martens their private fears and joys about what was often seen as a rite of passage into responsible adulthood, and they recalled that childbirth could be a difficult and, at times, traumatic event, but it could also be a radiant and spiritual experience. Over A Two-year Period, Katherine Martens Interviewed Twenty-six Women From Three Generations About Their Experiences Of Motherhood And Giving Birth. While All Had Some Connection To The Mennonite Community, Their Stories Reflect Their Diverse Backgrounds - Weaving Through The Narratives Of Life Stories That Include Escaping The Russian Revolution, Running Farms, And Working At Such Diverse Occupations As Sales Clerks, Nurses, Professors, Teachers, And Poets. Collected, Edited And Translated By Katherine Martens And Heidi Harms. Includes Bibliographical References. "Over a two-year period, Katherine Martens interviewed twenty-six women from three generations about their experiences of motherhood and giving birth. While all had some connection to the Mennonite community, their stories reflect their diverse backgrounds - weaving through the narratives of life stories that include escaping the Russian Revolution, running farms, and working at such diverse occupations as sales clerks, nurses, professors, teachers, and poets."--Résumé de l'éditeur Cover Contents Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction Co-Editor's Note Anna Thiessen Margaret Sawatzky Helen Wedel Sara Kroeker Maria Reimer Elizabeth Krahn Evelyn Rempel Petkau Anna Fullerton Robyn Epp Elsa Neufeld Vicki Neufeld Gertrude Epp Agatha Martens Agatha Warkentin Di Brandt Marjorie Neufeld Martin Mrs. A Susanna Edith Klassen Aganetha (Aggie) Klassen Peggy Regehr Edith Parker Sue Klassen Magdalene Redekop Hildegard Martens Roberta Loughrin Karin Dirks Selected Sources "Over a two-year period, Katherine Martens interviewed twenty-six women from three generations about their experiences of motherhood and giving birth. While all had some connection to the Mennonite community, their stories reflect their diverse backgrounds - weaving through the narratives of life stories that include escaping the Russian Revolution, running farms, and working at such diverse occupations as sales clerks, nurses, professors, teachers, and poets."--BOOK JACKET. Winnipeg writer Katherine Martens interviewed 26 women from the Mennonite community in southern Manitoba, ranging in age from 22 to 88 years old. They had many different backgrounds, but they all had one important characteristic: all were mothers. In the course of these interviews, Martens was searching for answers to questions that affected her both as a Mennonite and as a woman.