CHIP LITHERLAND PHOTOGRAPHY

editorial essay: twelve tribes

Mary "Shalem" Peterson, 14, right, pets one of her goats as her father, Tom, known as "Hanan" lights her way at four o'clock in the morning at the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida. His three daughters wake up at 3:30 am everyday to tend to the goats, turkeys, cattle, and chicken raised on the farm to help sustain the rest of the group's members living communally in the area.
   
Susan "Sarah" Peterson serves a dinner prepared by her children and herself at the historic John Lee & Mourning Jones House inhabited by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida. The women tend to the home and meal preparations currently, which is a day-long task as all the members of the Twelve Tribes gather twice daily for meals and prayer. Once a new deli in downtown is opened, the women will be taking over there.
   
Jessica "Meshakefet" Peterson, 17, left, sits on her sister, Sabra, 10, known as "Ephratah" as they play in a hammock during a break from their homeschool training at the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida. After waking up at 3:30 am everyday to tend to the animals on the farm, the girls head for a 7am prayer gathering and spend most of the day training or working at the house.
     
  
Sabra "Ephratah" Peterson, 10, holds a chicken as she checks on her livestock at the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida. The Peterson sisters train all day with studies in math, spelling, and grammar, but have a increased knowledge of the animals on their farm.
   
Sabra "Ephratah" Peterson, 10, rests after feeding her goats feed at four o'clock in the morning at the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida.
  
Jessica "Meshakefet" Peterson, 17, left to right, her sisters Mary, 14, or "Shalem" and Sabra, 10, or "Ehpratah" prepare the lunches with their mother Susan, or "Sarah," for the men going off to do construction work for the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida.
     
  
Pickle jars of Mate, vinegar, oil, and honey sit on a shelf in the kitchen of the Twelve Tribes communal home in Arcadia, Florida. Mate is a Brazilian-grown staple distributed through the Twelve Tribes community used in tea.
   
Susan "Sarah" Peterson helps her daughter Sabra, 10, or "Ephratah," with her homeschool training at the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida. Children in the Twelve Tribes don't attend public school, and get their lessons through textbooks printed by the Twelve Tribes themselves.
   
A spotlights falls on Shem Kendrick, 16, and Manasseh Corder, 16, as they perform a Hebrew folk dance in a circle late at night during an extended Twelve Tribes Friday night gathering in Arcadia, Florida.
     
  
Manasseh Corder, 16, center, joins other Twelve Tribes members in traditional Hebrew folk dancing at their communal home in Arcadia, Florida. Everyday at 7am and 7pm, the Twelve Tribes community gathers for prayer, dancing, and meals.
   
Shem Kendrick, 16, center, plays the piano with Manasseh Corder, 16, right, in the John Lee & Mourning Jones House where the Twelve Tribes live communally in Arcadia, Florida.
   
Mary "Shalem" Peterson, 14, left, and her sister, Sabra, 10, known as "Ephratah," walk a bucket of goat milk bottles to feed the baby goats at their home on the Peace River Farm run by the Twelve Tribes in Arcadia, Florida.