The Huron Indian Christmas Carol: Written By A Jesuit Saint

Get in Christmas spirit with free concert Sunday

Michael F. Vinning

December 13, 2008

HOUMA — You’re invited to enjoy some Christmas tunes with an unconventional twist Sunday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral.

A free performance of the local Les Amis de la Chanson choir will include a song led by an American Indian singer in his native tongue.

The 35-member choir is scheduled to perform its 22nd annual winter concert at 7 p.m. at the cathedral, 500 Goode St.

Geoffrey Kimball, the grandson of an Ojibwe Indian, is scheduled to sing in Huron.

“The buzz is really going around about the Huron Carol,” said Leslie Van Osdale, director of music for both the cathedral and the Les Amis Concert Choir. “People were very impressed at the first performance.”

This year’s program features the Huron Carol — the first North American Christmas Carol — composed in 1643 by Saint Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary who lived among the Huron Indians in Canada.

“He was part of the missionary team responsible for converting the Huron Indians to Christianity,” said Kimball, an anthropology and linguistics professor at Tulane University.

The concert, which normally averages an audience of 300 a year, usually performs only once during the holidays. But the group, which means “friends of the song,” scheduled two performances this month, a prospect that Van Osdale was happily awaiting.

“People have said to me on more than one occasion that this event kind of opens up the Christmas season for them, you know, the more spiritual aspect of the Christmas season,” Van Osdale said.

Kimball will sing two verses in the tribe’s language.

“The Huron Carol will be sung to the melody of two flutes and a traditional Coushatta Indian drum,” Van Osdale said.

The drum was acquired by Kimball during a stay with the Coushatta Indians of Louisiana.

“The history behind the song is quite intriguing,” Kimball said.

He said the Jesuits believed in using the native languages whenever possible in the acculturation process, so many religious documents were translated into the Huron language during the early to mid-17th century.

Link (here)

A great link (here) by "The Lion" at Le Fluer de Lys too with video of The Huron Carol

The Huron Carol ('Twas In The Moon of Winter Time)

'Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim and wondering 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 enwrapped 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 seed 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.

Words: Jean de Brebeuf, ca. 1643; trans by Jesse Edgar Middleton, 1926
Music: French Canadian melody (tune name: Jesous Ahatonhia)