Amish Help Build Barns and More

Mutual Aid for a More Just World pt. 6

First Published at Cultured

Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash

The Amish engage in solidarity when they host frolics. Frolics are cultural events where community members meet to socialize and work together, prime examples of mutual aid. When deemed necessary, an Amish community will plan a barn-raising. All the area men decide to meet for a day or two to build an entire barn, or they might need a church or home. The person being helped would arrange materials and logistics ahead of time. The men put together an entire building within a day. Watch the video below to see a time-lapse of a barn-raising in action.

Deep care and concern for one another motivate their solidarity, likely a testament of their faith. Women host quilting parties to provide comfort and warmth. An injured parishioner might find his crops harvested by his neighbors. They even send volunteers to assist non-Amish families after natural disasters.