CBC News: the fifth estate - Bust-up in Bountiful - Interview Profiles

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Aired January 25,
2006 at 9pm
on CBC-TV
Updated April 12,
2008 on
CBC Newsworld

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REPORTER: Hana Gartner
PRODUCER: Oleh Rumak

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Former Bishop of Bountiful, Winston Blackmore is rumoured to have 26 wives and 80 children. Download the Bountiful family tree. (.pdf file)

JANE BLACKMORE INTERVIEW

Jane Blackmore: Men are the head of the household and are very very gifted in knowing what women should do. If a man is very good, and has found favour in the eyes of the prophet, then he's given a position, and more wives. And women should do what men tell them to do.

Hana Gartner: HOW ARE POLYGAMOUS FAMILIES ORGANIZED? HOW DOES SOMEBODY WITH MORE THAN TEN WIVES AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF CHILDREN ORGANIZE THEIR LIVES?

Jane Blackmore: Usually the women do the organizing, about how things are going to be run. Who's going to cook the meals, who's going to tend the children. And .. those sorts of things.

Hana Gartner: WHAT AND THE MAN JUST SHOWS UP FROM TIME TO TIME?

Jane Blackmore: Basically.

Hana Gartner: DO YOU ALL FEEL LIKE ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY?

Jane Blackmore: Well if you get 20 children or 25 children under five all trying to eat at the same table, that can be a little bit chaotic. And consequently a little less than happy.

Hana Gartner: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

Jane Blackmore: Mm. (laugh) We won't talk about that.

.....

As the first of his 26 wives Jane says she lived a privileged life and stood by Winston during their 17 years of marriage bearing him 7 of his reported 80 children.

She worked as the communities mid-wife but left it all behind in the hope of giving her youngest daughter a better life.

Hana Gartner:THAT'S WHY MEN WANT A LOT OF WIVES SO THEY WILL BECOME A GOD. SIT AT GOD'S TABLE?

Jane Blackmore: Well they want their own table I think.

Hana Gartner: WHAT ABOUT WOMEN WHERE DO THEY SIT?

Jane Blackmore: All around the head table I guess. I guess all around their God.

Hana Gartner: IS WINSTON BLACKMORE THE KIND OF MAN WHO WILL BECOME A GOD?

Jane Blackmore: I think that's what he would like to be.

Hana Gartner: IS HE GOING TO MAKE IT?

Jane Blackmore: Huh, huh I don't know.

.....

Jane Blackmore: Just since I have been a midwife I have a very close relationship with a lot of women in the community. And there was this15 year old girl who was married and she became pregnant just very soon after she was married and she was crying and she didn't want to be married. She didn't want to be pregnant. She was 15…

This girl's mother was married to Winston and she is not Winston's daughter and I said Winston 'weren't you supposed to be this girl's parent? Like this girl's mother is married to you. Like aren't you supposed to be her parent?' And I said 'how come, how come she was married – she was 15?'

And he said 'well mother, I want you to mind your own business because you are not the bishop'. And I said 'this is my business, these girls come to me and I deal with it.' So I said,' I think this is my business, I don't think these girls should be married.'

.....

Jane Blackmore: I don't want to be part of this - and I have a 9-year-old girl who is very intelligent and I don't want her to be married when she is 15 or 16 or 17. I want her to go to school and be the scientist that she dreams about being.

Hana Gartner: YOU PRIDE YOURSELF ON BEING A STRONG WOMAN.

Jane Blackmore: Well I…I'm often not a strong woman …

Hana Gartner: WHAT IS MAKING YOU UNHAPPY NOW… SO SAD?

Jane Blackmore: I'm not really sad - I'm just emotional… There's a lot of years of emotion here.

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