| The living style of the Amish people has never | | | | resulting religious wars. They later spread to other |
| ceased to draw a sense of awe from the people | | | | parts of America like Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, |
| who are exposed to them. It is difficult to fathom | | | | Minnesota, Missouri, New York, and even beyond |
| for most of us used to the comforts of the | | | | to Canada. |
| modern world that such a reclusive society could | | | | The simple living of the Amish people is something |
| even exist in the first place. A bigger surprise | | | | which is a derivative of their reclusive lifestyle. |
| awaits you when you realize this society is | | | | The women wear only plain clothes, and any form |
| flourishing in major parts of America and Canada, | | | | of use of bright colors is strictly prohibited. Even |
| both known for their advanced levels of | | | | the use of buttons is prohibited, and only hooks |
| development and human comforts. After all, who | | | | and eyes may be allowed. Sometimes only |
| would like to do away with the luxuries of modern | | | | straight pins may be used for holding clothing |
| day life, and that too voluntarily? And the | | | | together. The men are equally simply dressed, |
| surprising factor is that this shunning of modern | | | | with plain shirts and dark trousers being the order |
| methods is not limited to an individual or two, but | | | | of the day. Growing of moustache is not allowed |
| an entire society of nearly 200,000 people | | | | as it is associated with the military, and moreover, |
| (198,000 as per last estimate in the year 2000). | | | | gives the owner of the moustache a feeling of |
| What then, are the Amish all about? | | | | vanity. The entire aim being to avoid anything |
| A reclusive clan of people, the Amish hail from a | | | | which may lead a person into thinking he's special, |
| Swiss-German ancestry, and are said to be | | | | or better than his other community members. |
| descendants of Swiss Anabaptist groups formed | | | | The simplicity of the Amish people extends to |
| in the early 16th century during the radical | | | | inside their houses as well, and to the furniture |
| reformation. The Swiss Anabaptists had their | | | | they use. Amish furniture is plain and devoid of |
| origins with Felix Manz (ca. 1498-1527) and Conrad | | | | fancy designs. The reclusiveness of the Amish |
| Grebel (ca.1498-1526). They later adopted the | | | | does not allow them to make use of any modern |
| term "Mennonite", the name originating from the | | | | machinery, and handcrafted Amish furniture is all |
| then leader of the clan, Menno Simons | | | | that is to be found in their homes. Lack of |
| (1496-1561). | | | | machinery does not mean lack of skills, however, |
| It was only much later that the Amish movement | | | | and the end quality of Amish handcrafted |
| got its present name, derived from that of Jacob | | | | furniture is enough to put many of its illustrious |
| Amman (c. 1656 - c. 1730), a Swiss Mennonite | | | | machine-made cousins to shame. The love for |
| leader. Amnan propagated a stricter and more | | | | tradition does not end there, and most of the |
| conservative line of thinking to the movement, as | | | | Amish made furniture is made in traditional oak |
| he felt that the original traditions were not being | | | | wood, shunning the modern plywood and wood |
| followed. This further led to a split in the ranks of | | | | laminates. Solid, simple yet functional pieces are |
| the clan, leading to the Amish clan separating | | | | the hallmark of the Amish furniture which adorns |
| from the mainstream Mennonite group. | | | | their homes. |
| It was as late as the Eighteenth century that the | | | | Little wonder, then, that anything even remotely |
| Amish started migrating to Pennsylvania with an | | | | related to this exclusive clan of simple people |
| aim of avoiding the large scale poverty and the | | | | inspires a sense of awe. |