“
Yeep” is a term of endearment spoken by Amish folk from Chili, Wisconsin. Oftentimes, if you strain your ears and quiet your thoughts, you will hear a softly spoken “Yeep” as two buggies pass each other on the gravel road at night.
The word originates from the era of
the great divide between the ruling regimes of the Amish Nation.
The Stutzman family, known throughout the community for their prized sheep, stole a secret recipe that had been handed down from mother to daughter since the beginning of Amish time. The
Yoder family, distraught with the loss of this age old recipe, stormed the gates of
the Stutzman farm, proclaiming “thou shall deliver
the scroll of Yoder henceforth to the rightful hand of Edith or we shall strike down upon thee with great vengeance” Ura Gingerich (neighbor of
Stutzman’s and oldest of the Elders) heard the commotion and exclaimed “Yeep!” then called forth the families and demanded the Stutzman family sheep be placed in the care of the Yoder family. The Yoder’s took off with the sheep under their arms.
The word is a mix of two words, Yoder and shEEP. The recipe formerly known as “Yoder
Vittles” is now marketed throughout the village as “Stutzman Sticks” The families share an uneasy peace between them, but there have been “incidents” lately hinting at another civil war. Elders “Yeep” at each other to remind themselves of the troubled times the community has suffered in the past. Ida Gingerich was quoted as saying “To Yeep at someone, is to offer them a look into your soul”
Ida, seeing Mary
Stutzman in her buggy, softly proclaimed "
Yeep" as he passed in his.
Amish parents, when unsure of the whereabouts of their offspring will sometime call out "Yeep!" this is known as a "Yeep Check" and is very effective when looking for stray children.
