Advent Blog Day 15: The Huron Carol

The Christmas I was 10, my school decided to do a reenactment of the Huron Carol, a haunting Christmas number written in 1642 by a Jesuit missionary. Jean De Brebeauf served among the Hurons, a first nation tribe living in Canada on the north shore of Lake Ontario. He wrote it in the Huron language and a few hundred years later, in 1926 Jesse Edgar Middleton wrote English lyrics for it. The Carol depicts the nativity, but in the culture of indigenous people. Instead of kings or wisemen, there are hunters who bring gifts of fox and beaver pelts. Jesus is wrapped in rabbit skin and placed in a cradle of broken bark. God is referred to as Gitchi Manitou" or "Great Spirit". Back in 1972 you could still do the nativity at school. It's a shame that so many schools ban this now. Yes, it's religious, but it's also cultural. You can't understand a culture without delving into the religion, and you can't understand Christmas without the Jesus story. Anyway, it was set up that there was a narrator, and the kids would go through the motions without having any lines. So the narrator read the poem, and the hunters walked through the forest, and there was Mary and company sitting there waiting. Many of the kids were stuck playing stars in the sky, holding onto the ladders permanently affixed to the wall. That must have been really boring. They couldn't even watch the play, their faces were looking at the wall. There was one other role. Or roles. Five angels. Aside from the narrator who spoke, they were the only ones to open their mouths. Their role was to sing "Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis Gloria." Out of the entire school, only five angels were picked. And I was one of them. No standing on a ladder facing a wall for me. I got to wear a pretty angel costume look out at the audience, and sing the most wonderful part of the song! Almost 50 years later it's still a lovely memory for me. So here are the English words, and some videos to watch of this beautiful carol. 'Twas in the moon of winter-time

When all the birds had fled,

That mighty Gitchi Manitou

Sent angel choirs instead;

Before their light the stars grew dim,

And wandering hunters heard the hymn:

"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,

In excelsis gloria."

Within a lodge of broken bark

The tender Babe was found,

A ragged robe of rabbit skin

Enwrapp'd His beauty round;

But as the hunter braves drew nigh,

The angel song rang loud and high...

"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,

In excelsis gloria."

The earliest moon of wintertime

Is not so round and fair

As was the ring of glory

On the helpless infant there.

The chiefs from far before him knelt

With gifts of fox and beaver pelt.

Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,

In excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free,

O sons of Manitou,

The Holy Child of earth and heaven

Is born today for you.

Come kneel before the radiant Boy

Who brings you beauty, peace and joy.

"Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born,

In excelsis gloria."

Canadian singer Sarah Mclachlan.

And here it is in Huron, French, ASL, and different English lyrics by Canadian/Celtic singer

Heather Dale.

I found this story of the Huron Carol. I haven't watched it yet.