Santa Clara Colony (Paraguay)
Santa Clara Colony in Paraguay is a small settlement located some 385 km (238 miles) northeast of Asunción. It was established by Sommerfeld Mennonite immigrants from Santa Clara Colony, Mexico. The primary reason for the coming of these settlers was scarcity of land in Mexico and the availability of good, cheap land in Paraguay. In 1971 they bought 2,700 hectares (6,670 acres) of heavily wooded jungle land for 900 Guaraníes (seven dollars U.S. per hectare). Forty families came originally, but 19 found pioneering too difficult and left. In 1986 there were a total of 26 families (133 persons), of whom 50 were members of the congregation. While this group must also be classified as conservative, they do use motorized vehicles and wear contemporary clothing.
Author(s) | Gerhard Ratzlaff |
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Date Published | 1989 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Ratzlaff, Gerhard. "Santa Clara Colony (Paraguay)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1989. Web. 16 Aug 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Santa_Clara_Colony_(Paraguay)&oldid=93453.
APA style
Ratzlaff, Gerhard. (1989). Santa Clara Colony (Paraguay). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 August 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Santa_Clara_Colony_(Paraguay)&oldid=93453.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 788. All rights reserved.
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