Igloo
The remainder of the calendar is being put up today due to holiday commitments.
Christmas came to
European settlers
brought their own traditions from
In parts of
January 6th is Nalajuk Night. The three Nalajuks go from house to house bringing presents for the children, but they are formidable sights, carrying big sticks and dressed up in seal or caribou skins, faces hidden by masks. The children, both attracted and repelled, flee from the chasing Nalajuks and if caught must sing a song or face a beating with the sticks. The Nalajuks remain in the last house and eventually the children drift off and Christmas is over for another year.
[the
Indians] have a particular devotion for the night that was enlightened by the
birth of the Son of God. There was not one who refused to fast on the day that
preceded it. They built a small Chapel of Cedar and fir branches in honor of the manger of the infant Jesus; they wished to
perform some penance, to prepare themselves for better receiving him into their
hearts on that holy day; and even those who were at a distance of more than two
days’ journey met at a given place to sing Hymns in honor
of the newborn Child and to approach the table whereat it was his will to
become the adorable food. Neither the inconvenience of the snow nor the
severity of the cold could stifle the ardor of their
devotion. That small Chapel seemed to them a little
Travels and Explorations of the
Jesuit Missionaries in
Vol. XXVII Hurons,
Saint Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary, while recovering from a broken collar bone, wrote a carol for the Huron in their language in about 1643, setting it to a 15th century folk tune Une Jeune Pucelle (A Young Maiden). Known as the Huron Carol or 'Twas In The Moon Of Winter Time, it has been made into several English and French versions and is included in both Anglican and Methodist Canadian Hymnals. The best known English version, by Jesse Edgar Middleton, is a reinterpretation rather than translation.
Here is the original version, with a more literal translation by John Steckley (slightly modified).
Iesus Ahatonnia (Jesus, He is Born)
1
Ehstehn yayau deh tsaun we Iesus ahattonnia
Have courage, you who are humans, Jesus, he is born
O na wateh wado:kwi nonnwa 'ndasqua entai
Behold, the okie spirit who had us as prisoners has fled
ehnau sherskwa trivota nonnwa 'ndi yaun rashata
Do not listen to him, as he corrupts the spirits of our thoughts
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
2
Ayoki onki hm-ashe eran yayeh raunnaun
The okie spirits, who live in the sky, are coming with a message
yauntaun kanntatya hm-deh 'ndyaun sehnsatoa ronnyaun
They are coming to say, "Rejoice" (be on top of life)
Waria hnawakweh tond Yosehf sataunn haronnyaun
"Mary, she has just given birth. Rejoice"
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
3
Asheh kaunnta horraskwa deh ha tirri gwames
Three elders have left for the place of his birth
Tishyaun ayau ha'ndeh ta aun hwa ashya a ha trreh
Tiscient, the star appearing over the horizon leads them there
aundata:kwa Tishyaun yayaun yaun n-dehta
That star, Tiscient, will walk first on the path to guide them
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
4
Tau yishyeh sta atyaun errdautau 'ndi Iesus
The star stopped not far from where Jesus was born
avwa tateh dn-deh Tishyaun stanshi teya wennyau
Having found the place Tiscient said
aha yaunna torrehntehn yataun katsyaun skehnn
"Come this way"
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
5
Onnen ontah hahtyon shyah onahyen Iesus
As they entered and saw Jesus they praised his name
ahha tyeshien-nonniannon kahah shyah hah-’ndyahion
They oiled his scalp many times, anointing his head
tehhonannon ron kwannion eehontonk oehrisen
With the oil of the sunflower
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
6
Eyeh kwata tehnaunnte aheh kwashyehn ayehn
They say, “Let us place his name in a position of honour”
kiyeh kwanaun aukwayaun dehtsaun we ’ndeh adeh
“Let us act reverently towards him for he comes to show us mercy”
tarrya diskwann aunkwe yishyehr eya ke naun sta
“It is the will of the spirits that you love us, and we wish that we may be adopted into your family”
Iesus Ahattonnia
Jesus, he is born
Bruce Cockburn - Iesus Ahattonnia (Verse 2)