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Menno Moto: A Journey Across the Americas in Search of My Mennonite Identity

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Cameron Dueck takes a motorcycle trip through Manitoba and Latin America in search of isolated enclaves of extreme Mennonites—and himself.

In the 1920s, the most radical Mennonites—fearing a loss of autonomy—moved from Canada to Latin America, where they built colonies, keeping their doors and minds closed for nearly a century against the rest of the sinful world. They live as if time has stood still, with their clothes, farms and their outlook unchanged for centuries, and this isolation bears dark social consequences. Seeking answers in an eight-month, 45,000 km solo motorcycle journey across the Americas, Cameron Dueck finds reasons to both love and loathe the identity he searched for.

Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2020

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Cameron Dueck

2 books12 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
1 review
September 2, 2020
I read this book, no, INHALED this book, in 2 nights. Maybe it's because both of my parents were born in Cuachtemac Mexico, and Cameron detailed his journey through there. Maybe it's because as I get older I crave to know who I am and why I am the way I am. Or, maybe it's just because Cameron Dueck wrote an intensely interesting book!
The author brings up poignant issues the Mennonites are, or were, going through. Everything from issues of water rights to sexual abuse. From problems in the colonies of abuse of power, to the benefits of working really hard and conscientiously. I was moved by the story of the Reimer's in Belize and the loss of their son, and how that resonated with Cameron's family. I caught a glimpse of my family function as my family and the family of the authors has many intersecting factors.
This is a balance book. It does not why away from pointing out many problems in the mennonites. It also speaks very highly of many individuals! I love that about Menno Moto. Balanced and fair, in a world that often is the opposite!
What a riveting read! I'm recommending it to my friends for sure!
Profile Image for Marta.
29 reviews
June 1, 2021
a mennonite travel book. be still my heart
Profile Image for Ralph Friesen.
Author 2 books
August 25, 2020
Review of Menno Moto, by Cameron Dueck. Windsor: Biblioasis, 2020.

Cameron Dueck, the Hong Kong-based writer of a new memoir called Menno Moto, grew up in Mennville, Manitoba, a tiny settlement in the Interlake made up of members of the Evangelical Mennonite Church. Which happens to be the denomination in which I grew up as well, in Steinbach. In fact, Dueck and I are related--his great-grandfather Johann W. Dueck, who is a reference point throughout the book, was my grandmother's first cousin. This question of how we are related is part of "the Mennonite game" which Dueck doesn't much like, but . . . well, I kind of do like it.

So I brought that to my reading of Menno Moto, the sense of the writer being from the same clan, and therefore sharing an identity. His book ends with: "Yes, I am a Mennonite." He rode his motorcycle 45,000 kilometers over two continents for eight months before he came to this conclusion, so I'd say he came by it honestly.

At times when reading this book I was reminded of Cheryl Strayed's best-selling memoir, Wild. Travelling alone, in sometimes harsh and dangerous conditions, you find out things about yourself that would otherwise remain unknown. It's an adventure, but not just "fun." You have to face your fears.

Dueck made a point of visiting Mennonite communities in Mexico and Central and South America. All of these are conservative people who uprooted themselves to these places in order to escape the world and build their version of the Kingdom of Heaven. Or simply to try and duplicate the imagined lives of their ancestors who lived in South Russia before themselves emigrating or fleeing as refugees.

Everywhere he goes, Dueck finds what others have found before him: Low German-speaking people dressed in a kind of uniform (bib overalls and cowboy hats for the men; long dark dresses and head-coverings for the women), determined to farm or conduct agriculture-supporting businesses, live modestly and soberly, keep education to a minimal level, raise large families, and subject themselves to long, admonishing sermons on Sundays.

Everywhere he goes, he has conversations with the Mennonites, which he reproduces in great detail. No small accomplishment, for a number of reasons: a) he begins his journey with limited Low German ability, and learns as he goes, b) it's hard to remember what people say (did he use a tape recorder?), and c) he asks sometimes difficult questions about sensitive subjects.

One of the most difficult questions is personal: these non-modern Mennonites Dueck meets--is he like them? Is he one of them? He finds comparisons with his own upbringing in a small rural community--traditional foods like farmer sausage, the discipline of getting chores done, a "can-do" approach to practical problem-solving, a wish to live peaceably with one's neighbour. And he finds stark differences--a lack of interest in book-learning, a rote religious practice, a blind determination to stay away from the world and all it offers.

In any case, Dueck is Mennonite enough to be able to communicate with these people. And nervy and curious enough to go to Bolivia, where, in 2005, "ghost rapes" were alleged to have occurred in which entire families were violated. This part of the narrative almost has the quality of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, as Dueck seeks to unravel the mystery of the horrors endured and apparently perpetrated by "civilized" Mennonites. Like other inquirers before him, he finds no clear answers. But his account is riveting, especially the conversation with Otta, wife of one of the accused rapists, who struggles to support herself and her children without the help of the community.

This part of the Bolivian Mennonite story is fundamentally at odds with our idea of ourselves as Mennonites. Astutely, Dueck recognizes our wish, even his own wish, to distance from the ugliness of a lofty vision dragged down into depravity. He comments astutely on community members doing things opp plietsch, hiding, concealing one's actions for fear of the judgement of the authorities. Hiding becomes part of the culture, with sometimes destructive consequences.

In the modern world, where digital technology and fast modes of transportation have made almost every imaginable place and lifestyle available, tribal identities persist but are at risk. Arguably, the non-modern Mennonites who extended their hospitality to Dueck are the best hope for the survival of something we could honestly call a Mennonite identity. Dueck mixed his life up with those people's lives, and came away with a gift, a stronger connection to his roots. He also came away with a lively, entertaining, and educational book, which is his gift to us.

Canadian and American Mennonite readers (and they will likely be the majority) may find it easier to distance from their "strange" relatives than to come closer to them. Somehow, Moto Mennonite allows for both reactions at once.

-- Ralph Friesen
Nelson, BC

August 25, 2020
Profile Image for Blake Hamm.
4 reviews
May 5, 2020
This is a superb book that serves as a travel memoir, cultural guide to a diaspora of a people, and a tale of personal growth. The author examines the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Mennonite diaspora across the Americas, in fair and frank words.

He is skillfully able to intersperse his story amongst personal anecdotes, geographic descriptors, and historical background while keeping the book easily readable and accessible. Highly recommended to anyone curious on the Mennonite diaspora.
Profile Image for Tara Wiebe.
11 reviews
August 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this book because I learned so much about my Mennonite side and the crazy things that happen in the colonies down south. The author was not shy to meet everyone and hear their side of the story which made it such a captivating read. Highly recommend for all the Wiebes out there!
Profile Image for Kaitlyn Zimmerman.
13 reviews4 followers
January 15, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Basically, if the description of the book (especially the Russian Mennonite history and culture part) looks interesting to you, I'm sure you also will enjoy it.
2 reviews
September 2, 2020
While the Amish have captured America's (and consequently the world's) imagination in recent decades, their more populous Anabaptist cousins have, in keeping with their worldview, generally managed to evade the spotlight. As someone who grew up in a Mennonite community and explored all corners of the globe in adulthood, Cameron is well placed to examine the quirks and contradictions inherent in the community's beliefs. Heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal parts and interlaced with the exploits of an inveterate traveler, this is one of the best books I have read this year.
September 2, 2020
This is a beautifully written book, not only about the beliefs and traditions about Mennonites, but also about questioning whether tradition and faith are the same thing. He tries to be totally non-judgemental, but does include certain snide remarks to show his disdain. Wonderful sense of phrasing. I'm reading for the second time already!
Thoroughly enjoyable. And yes, I too, am a Mennonite.
Profile Image for Sandra Molina.
32 reviews5 followers
September 9, 2020
Excellent travel book. I should say I'm extremely happy to have met Cam and his Moto in the middle of this trip <3
Profile Image for Ava Hall.
290 reviews3 followers
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August 21, 2022
I think that everyone finds a book a some point in their lives that feels like an epiphany or lightbulb moment for them. This was that book for me. As a half Mennonite that grew up completely separate from that part of my culture, I have experienced a significant disconnect to that part of me. Much like how Cameron Dueck spent 8 months on a motorcycle discovering the origins of his heritage, this book was my method of discovery. Like the author, I am Russian Mennonite. My great grandparents moved from Canada to South America to form a new colony of Old Colony Mennonites in Paraguay in an effort to preserve their cultural practices and remove themselves from the “worldliness” of modern society. There was so much about my history that I didn’t know and so much culture I feel like I’ve missed out on, but I recognize that that’s okay.

Cameron Dueck did an incredible job portraying the beautiful aspects of Mennonite culture—like the emphasis on community, their generous and hardworking nature, and of course faspa—while still expressing the harmful and damaging practices that exist. The rigidity to rules and refusal to adapt, like any group that takes culture to extreme levels, will inevitably lead to practices that are hidden in shame. The chapters centred around Bolivia were heavy to read: the unwillingness to acknowledge the trauma and suffering of the colony made my heart ache; the way the colony leaders refused to call it what it was. It was another example showing the lies we tell ourselves for the sake of our own comfort.

There were so many things that resonated with me while reading and they made me laugh in joy. Mennonites are, on average, terrible dancers (that explains a lot) and love plums (hence my deep and profound love of prunes!). It was fun to see how familiar I was with traditional meals like plouma moos, rollkuchen, and reahre ei and it made me realize that though there is plenty I am unfamiliar with, there is also lots that I do know.

This was a book I didn’t know I needed to read, but I’m so glad I did. It brought me closer to my Mennonite background and made me excited to learn more. The solidarity that I felt while reading this surprised me, but now that I’m done I realize it shouldn’t have. That’s part of being human: we feel a connection to those who have shared are experiences, even with strangers.
Profile Image for Colleen.
1,637 reviews68 followers
February 17, 2022
What could be more intriguing than a travelogue written by a Mennonite on a motorcycle? If that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will!

Cameron Dueck is a Canadian Mennonite, born and raised in a Mennonite colony in Manitoba. He’s travelled extensively and has lived as far away as Hong Kong, but he feels compelled to explore his roots, his culture, and his religion in an effort to better understand who he is and what it means to be a Mennonite in today’s world. In order to explore his Mennonite identity, he hops onto his motorbike and rides from Manitoba, down through the United States, through Mexico, Latin America and finally through South America all the way to Paraguay and Argentina, stopping at Mennonite colonies along the way. Many of the colonies had their origins in Canada (via an exodus from Russia in the 1800’s), and for various reasons they felt the need to venture further and further afield in order to preserve their culture and religion.

His journey is fascinating. He gives us the history of the Russian Mennonite diaspora, and explores the wide range of Mennonite culture from the colonies that eschew all modern tools and devices, to the ones that embrace everything that makes life in the 21st century what it is. I’ve always been interested in Mennonite culture and learned a lot about it through Dueck’s writing. He gives us an honest view: we see the good, the bad and yes, the ugly sides of Mennonite life (particularly apparent in the events that occurred in Boliva in the early 2000’s). Mennonites are a hard-working and devout people but like anyone else, there is sometimes an unsavory undercurrent in their actions.

This was a very interesting account of one man’s journey, but also a great look into a culture that isn’t often understood by outsiders.
2 reviews
September 2, 2020
While the Amish have captured America's (and consequently the world's) imagination in recent decades, their more populous Anabaptist cousins have, in keeping with their worldview, generally managed to evade the spotlight. As someone who grew up in a Mennonite community and explored all corners of the globe in adulthood, Cameron is well placed to examine the quirks and contradictions inherent in the community's beliefs. Heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal parts and interlaced with the exploits of an inveterate traveler, this is one of the best books I have read this year.
124 reviews2 followers
July 6, 2020
Travel memoir as well as exploration of Mennonite identity. If you're from the Canadian Prairies you may think you know Mennonites but this book goes through their history from Europe to North America and they settled in so many different countries in North, Central and South America. Excellent read.
1 review
September 2, 2020
A great book for someone who wants to learn more about Mennonite culture. Of Mennonite descent, this is the first book That I have read that puts an interesting narrative to a very closed culture. Definitely recommend to those who are curious about their background.
Profile Image for Abram Martin.
99 reviews8 followers
July 28, 2022
Wow, this book is a great read if you've always been curious about Russian Mennonites . As someone who grew up and identity as a Mennonite with roots in Lancaster PA. I was always curious about our cousins who share our Anabaptist heritage but who have a different culture and dialect of their own. Because he visits multiple colonies spanning from Canada to Argentina you really get the full spectrum from very conservative to modern.
November 22, 2020
Cameron Dueck has some really insightful observations to make about both Mennonite identity, and what part their history and beliefs might play in his own sense of himself. Indeed, his sense of the character of identity in our time is subtle--all identities are contradictory, some just more obviously so than others. He's very forthright and unsparing in his observations about both his fellow Mennonites and himself. And he writes extremely well. Travel is a common trope for self examination, and that is amplified by moving along on a motorcycle--one is seriously alone on a bike, but you can't really let your mind wander or it can be disastrously unproductive to life and limb. Nonetheless the experience can be both enervating and probingly reflective: simultaneously so. I think that contributed to his experience in ways he only briefly discusses. But then this is a book about identity, not about motorcycling--however accessible that might make identity in the first place. I do know rather a lot about Anabaptists: I lived with and wrote about Hutterites as an anthropologist. Despite their relationship to Mennonites the Hutterians are really distinctively different because of their relationship to both property (they are totally communal) and to technology (they accept it, whole heartedly as a means to persist in the world). Everything he has to say about the central tenets of Anabaptism ring true though. And his evocation of history, both personal and general are informative and dolled out in manageable doses. I also ride, though on much shorter ventures than Cameron...but I can say those bits about mutual assistance from other bikers are also spot-on. Getting help along the way is much easier on a bike than in a car, despite ones vulnerability. Well, perhaps because of it. Finally, there is much to be said about the writing itself. He doesn't mess around and has a poetic sense of timing, cadence and brevity. He tends toward a gentle use of metaphor and phrasing that make the book move with pace, but in an unhurried manner. Don't rush though, savor it--take the trip with him. And reflect upon your own sense of who you are, and might become.
Profile Image for Magdalene.
273 reviews5 followers
October 19, 2020
I had no idea how fascinating I would find this book about my own culture, or how cool it would be to see words and references to things I grew up with in a book. The author is from Manitoba but has largely stepped away from his Mennonite roots as a journalist living in Hong Kong. The book is about his months-long trip he took from Manitoba to Argentina by motorcycle, visiting different Mennonite colonies along the way. In each one he learns about why Mennonites decided to move there and meets different people to talk about their lives and discover interesting stories.
I found this book deeply interesting. It gave me a much better understanding of the migrations of Mennonites, and gave me the opportunity to rediscover my Mennonite identity along with the author. I don't think about the fact that I'm a Mennonite all that often, but reading this book it was interesting to note how parts of Mennonite culture are very present in my parents' lives as well as my own. The stories made me occasionally proud and occasionally ashamed, as they did for the author as well, but as he notes, nobody likes everything about their culture.
Dueck is a journalist, and from what I could tell he did a great job researching the book. There was lots of background information, but never so much that it made the book dry. Since it's a memoir he does talk about his own feelings when visiting each colony, but he still leaves room for the reader to form their own opinions. I'm not sure how much non-Mennonites would like the book unless they're interested in minor cultures, but I think most of my fellow Mennonites would love it.
1 review1 follower
January 15, 2021
If you appreciate learning about culture with a bit of travel, adventure and self-discovery added to the mix then this book is for you. Author Cameron Dueck provides a fascinating exploration of the Mennonite diaspora in his book, Menno Moto. Having grown up with many Mennonite friends I was surprised at how little I knew about the culture. It was fascinating to travel along with Cameron and have a peak inside the often closed Mennonite communities dispersed across the Americas. Cameron's soul-baring writing is authentic and captivating; I felt like I was on the journey with him but I am glad to have been spared the 45,000 km ride on a motorcycle!

UPDATE: I have bought this book for several friends and all have agreed it is a wonderful read and have passed along to others as well. This book is a hidden gem. I hope more people discover it.
234 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2023
Must-read book for anyone interested in issues raised in Miriam Toews' "Women Talking" and/or its eponymous Oscar-nominated movie. Cameron Dueck spends a good amount of time in the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia, living with and talking to and thinking about principal characters involved in the incidents and issues that lead to the book and movie - meeting personally with many from all sides (and outside) of the controversy, including those currently in prison, and thinking and writing eloquently about them.

Mennonites - even lapsed or just those with cultural heritage roots - will be fascinated by his 8 month, 45,000 kilometer, 19 country, 2 continent plus what's in between odyssey to find his Mennonite identity. All on a beat-up Kawasaki (2-wheeler, not 4-wheeler, sorry!) They will find a good bit of their own identities, like it or not, even if they possess no connections to these isolated and esoteric colonies he visits. He ends up finding out lots about himself and the same will be true for Menno readers. In fact, the same will be true for any readers.

Over and above that, Mr Dueck is an excellent travel/adventure writer and a great thinker and polished narrator/writer as well, so the book reads very well - you will learn lots and really enjoy riding along with him, as well as accompanying him on his many stops and visits.

Everyone will enjoy this tome, Menno or no - I am actually tempted to read it all over again, this time taking notes!

I recommend it to all my fellow readers and suggest it should be required reading for anyone with even tenuous Mennonite heritage or roots - there's a lot of us out there!
2 reviews
January 15, 2021
Cameron Dueck set off on a journey on his motorcycle from Manitoba, Canada to reach Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America. Along the way he made a journey of self-discovery as well as testing his skills of long-distance travel on a motorcycle.
Menno Moto works as a travel adventure and as a pilgrimage saga and is fascinating on both levels. He visits the sites where Mennonites have settled in Mexico and Central and South America. Mennonites believe in separation from the ‘world’ or society. They believe that God’s people live in a covenant community in harmony with, as they see it, God’s plan. As a traveler who visited most of the places Dueck traveled on his motorcycle, I found his stories captivating. A reader who knows nothing about Mennonites will find the stories absorbing as an arm chair tourist as well.
I recommend Dueck’s book for the stories he has to tell about a fascinating journey.
Profile Image for Debbie.
247 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2021
Cameron Dueck, a man on a journey to find out more about his Mennonite roots and about his own identity as a Mennonite. He gets on his motorbike and goes to 19 countries I’m starting Off in Manitoba and ending in Paraguay area. Along the way he has marked off where he will find Mennonite Colonies that left Russian and came some the same time as his own family came from Russia to Manitoba . Along the way he meets many different colonies and learns more about them . Most are very old colony Mennonite with no electricity or Vehicles who want only a simple life . Others are rich and have dark secrets .
This book was well written and thought out . I felt myself getting worked up abs upset with lies of the Mennonites in Bolivia and learned that not all are who they appear to be . There is much more to be learned about the ancestors in my own family and this makes me want to learn about them even more .
Profile Image for Neil.
80 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2022
3.5 stars. It’s difficult to place this book into a single genre, it’s somewhere between a heart-warming, self-discovery, adventure story and a harrowing, dark, true crime. As a Mennonite I really appreciated the historical insight into the culture which covered many details I was completely unaware of while simultaneously including all the relatable aspects of the culture that anyone who grew up in a Mennonite home would understand. In fact there where even certain things I didn’t even know where exclusively Mennonite until I read this book. I’d recommend this book to any Mennonite as it’s a great way to reconnect with and educate yourself on the ways of your ancestors. There’s lots of value in the Mennonite culture and lots of traits that I have a new found pride in after reading this book, such as our hard-work ethic and our unstoppable goal oriented mindset.
1 review
April 12, 2023
Thank you Cameron!

I liked the semi-detached, probing approach Cameron used to discover how he finally concluded he, too, was a Mennonite. His story is a compelling one for Mennonites in general. He gives voice to the questions many Mennonites have when they think about their history and their peculiar place in a story larger than themselves, larger than their family name, larger than their community. Cameron is a talented journalist and a gifted writer. At times it felt like I was there with him. I learned details about the Mennonite story I was only vaguely familiar with. I am grateful for the great effort this book represents and how it has enriched my understanding of the Mennonite phenomenon.

Profile Image for Samuel.
Author 7 books22 followers
February 6, 2021
This was an interesting read with a journalist's perspective as opposed to a historian's. The most riveting parts of Dueck's travel were the chapters of his time in the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia as he tried to understand the "truth" of the sexual abuse that took place there. Those chapters, I believe, portrayed well the "fog" that surrounds any effort to learn the reality of what happened.

Other parts of the book were sometimes less engaging. Dueck's limited knowledge of Swiss Mennonites and 16th Anabaptist history is reflected in some of the generalized statements he makes. His "expertise" is truly limited to the 1870s Mennonite immigrants to Canada and their descendants.
Profile Image for Cathy Savage.
530 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2022
This provides some insight into the Mennonite culture and way of life. I only knew of Mennonites in Canada (Manitoba) and Mexico and was surprised to learn how far flung they were and the reasons for their repeated migrations. The trials and tribulations and the dark paths some groups took were discussed, not hidden. The upside of the trip - 45,000kms, 19 countries over 2 continents - was the people the author met along the way and being invited into their lives and homes. Travel really does expose the traveler to many experiences they would not see staying in one spot. It expands your mind and acceptance of the multitude of people on this Earth.
14 reviews
February 7, 2023
Fascinating! A look into the Mennonite diaspora from Manitoba to Argentina. The writing is smooth and human, generous to those with some background knowledge as well as complete outsiders. I found myself reading extra chapters to keep digging a little deeper into the journey. Like any good Mennonite, Dueck doesn’t self-indulge while storytelling, although he adds some personal connections and stories to flavour the adventure. Well worth reading if you’re interested in community/church dynamics and the intersection between ideal and practical faith. That sounds a bit stiff, but the author’s skillful writing exposes the contrasts in a beautiful way.
Profile Image for Jacqueline.
35 reviews
July 5, 2021
As a renegade Mennonite myself, I enjoyed reading this journey of self discovery. Cameron included just enough Mennonite history to make it accessible to people who don’t have a connection to the Mennonites. He didn’t get bogged down in the details of his journeying by motorcycle but focused on the theme of the book-learning more about the Mennonites who have settled in México and south in the Americas and learning more about himself. Definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Logan Streondj.
Author 2 books13 followers
September 18, 2022
Excellent book about the Russian mennonites and their diaspora across the Americas through a journalistic narrative style. Very insightful and beautiful with much useful information.

Definitely worth archiving, is one of the best dencription of the Russian menonnites in the America's I've come across. Most of the other books I've read focus on the swiss mennonites and Amish so definitely needed to complete the picture.
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