Just like in J.K. Rowling’s fantastical wizarding world, where non-magic folk are referred to as Muggles, there’s a similar concept within the Amish community. If you aren’t Amish, you’re considered “English.” Regardless of your skin color, ethnicity or background, you’re flatly referred to as “English.”
This stems from immigration patterns dating back hundreds of years. At the time, the Amish couldn’t call the outsiders Americans, because they themselves were American. So, you can see what the problem was. But this habit has stuck, like many other things which make the Amish community so unique.
Yodeling is Not For the Faint-Hearted
And also apparently not common in every Amish community! The art of yodeling is mainly practiced within the Swiss Amish community of Adams County, IN.
In the book ' Plain Diversity: Amish Cultures and Identities' , authored by Steven Nolt and Thomas Meyers, the yodeling of the community is explored. Nolt and Meyers go on to say that "they yodel both German-language folksongs and English-language ballads. Many of these English lyrics are in the vein of traditional love songs or accounts of desperados-yodels that the church does not approve of. The presence of such deviant English songs may be puzzling, but they point to the strength of the ethnic tradition among the Swiss group. "
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
It’s not unusual to hear of arranged marriages, particularly in traditional settings across the globe. Within the Amish community, there is no matchmaker, nor any type of forced hands into marriage. Despite the limited dating pool, and the common belief that the majority of Amish marriages are arranged, it seems that this is not the case.
While it all seems fine and well, we need not remind you that the Amish are a small community. So of course, there is a limited supply. But in saying this, too, the Amish are allowed to marry only a certain type of someone.
The Great Rule Book(s)
It makes sense with such a fastidious cultural group that they keep a record of all of their rules and regulations. It would be impossible for one individual to remember all of the Amish code, right? So to simplify things, the Amish have two reference books. One is the Bible, and the other is a book called The Ordnung. The latter book means “order” or “discipline” in German.
The Ordnung is pretty much a book of Amish for dummies. It lists the do’s and don’ts when practicing an Amish life, providing the framework for day-to-day goings-on. If you find yourself ever breaking one of the tenets, there is a punishment for each and every rule, with varying degrees of severity.
A Taste of the Real World
Now, any parent would know that children are extremely curious. More than anything, Amish parents see the massive differences between life in their insulated community versus life in the outside world. It’s tough, and there's no protection. But, some realize that the Amish life isn’t for them, and they’d rather experience life outside the community.
If you’ve got a rebellious teen on your hands, well, more the reason to give them the push to see what life can be like. But Amish teens know that they get their “free pass” into the outside world. Parents believe that by letting them go and not punishing them or making them feel they have no choice but to stay, may, in fact, make them want to stay.