By Pam Fedack
The sound of horse hooves and wagon wheels carried down the tree-lined street of Neubergthal this past weekend, echoing a way of life that began here nearly 150 years ago. At the heart of it all was the annual Darp Days celebration, which this year carried special weight as the Neubergthal Heritage Foundation marked both 150 years of Mennonite settlement in Manitoba’s West Reserve and 500 years of Anabaptism.
Over two days, the village filled with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Mennonite culture. From the warmth of homemade soup and pie on Friday night to the laughter of Low German skits and the familiar sound of Corny Rempel’s Elvis tribute, there was no shortage of entertainment. Saturday brought coffee, guided tours, presentations, and faspa—all framed by the backdrop of Neubergthal’s historic housebarns and yards, which remain among the best-preserved examples of Mennonite village life in Canada.
For many visitors, the highlight was a ride through the village led by longtime resident and Heritage Foundation board member Jolanda Schwartz Friesen.
“We started the village tours three years ago, and it’s grown more than I ever imagined,” she said. “I was born and raised here, so I know the yards and the stories. If we don’t tell them, who’s going to know them?”
Schwartz Friesen’s tours blend storytelling and role-playing, transporting guests back to 1876 when Neubergthal’s first settlers arrived with little more than covered wagons and oxen. She switches “hats” as she narrates, speaking as different villagers to give voice to the community’s early days.
This year’s tour also had a new look. In past years, visitors sat on hay bales pulled by a tractor. Schwartz Friesen’s dream was always to use horses, and in 2025, that dream came true with a proper horse-drawn trailer outfitted for comfort.
“I take people back to 1876 to Peter Klippenstein, who first claimed this land,” she shared. “It was just grassland then. They had to cut the hay, clear the land with handmade tools, and bring in wood from the Pembina River by ox and wagon. Everything was done together—someone had a windmill, someone could fix harnesses, and they shared what they had to survive.”
Those early years were marked by cooperation and adaptation. By 1908, tree-lined roads were built in the style of the old country, and housebarns evolved from crude shelters to more sophisticated designs with living quarters at one end and livestock at the other. Many of those structures still stand today, making Neubergthal unique in Canada.
“Steinbach has a Mennonite museum, but it isn’t in an original village setting,” Schwartz Friesen pointed out. “Here, you’re walking the same streets, seeing the same yards where families lived and worked. That’s what makes Neubergthal special.”
The weekend also featured history sessions where local authors and longtime residents shared memories of villages like Albergthal, Gretna, and Schoenthal. Historian Dr. Hans Werner spoke on Mennonite settlement and migration, while Al Schritt kept the crowd smiling with Plautdietsche stories and sayings.
Meals were more than a chance to eat; they were woven into the experience of community. Visitors built sandwiches at noon, enjoyed faspa with rollkuchen and watermelon in the afternoon, and gathered around tables to talk about the past and present.
Schwartz Friesen says the response from outsiders has surprised her.
“This morning’s tour had people I’d never seen before. Some were from Winnipeg, while others were from across Manitoba. They might have roots here, or they might just be curious. But it’s wonderful to see new faces come and learn.”
The village itself has become a destination far beyond Darp Days. The Commons Barn is at the centre of much of that activity. As Schwartz Friesen explained, “the Commons barn is so popular for weddings, for funerals, for meetings, for family gatherings.”
Meanwhile, the Friesen housebarn and the old school offer tours in the summer, with furniture, tools, sleighs, and buggies—all tied to Neubergthal families—helping tell the story of how faith and hard work shaped this settlement.
Being named a national historic site by Parks Canada in 2000 came with responsibilities, Schwartz Friesen said.
“The government expects us to keep programs going, to keep the history and the Anabaptist story alive. That’s what Darp Days is about. We mix in the fun—the food and the entertainment—but always bring in history too.”
“It seems people don’t start caring about history until they’re 55 or older,” she said. “But at least if we keep repeating these stories, they’ll have something to come back to when the time comes.”
