Inside Gloriavale: Judge’s visit offers rare glimpse into life for women inside religious community
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In a windowless kitchen with concrete floors and walls, stands a young woman on a step holding a large paddle with both hands, stirring a stainless steel vat of macaroni-and-cheese – enough to feed 600 people.
There’s another, smaller, vat for gluten-free meals.
In the same room, four other young women wash fruit in steel drums filled with water, before drying them with tea towels.
In a side room, two others are making cheese, using buckets and cheese cloths.
Another girl feeds homemade bread into a slicing machine. Two girls bake chocolate muffins, while another opens biscuit packets.
“Sorry, I’m not used to doing this in front of so many people,” says the woman with the paddle, nervous to have a contingent of media, lawyers, a judge and court staff visiting her community.
Further reading and video: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131311207/inside-gloriavale-judges-visit-offers-rare-glimpse-into-life-for-women-inside-religious-community