The Huron Carol, was written by St. Jean de Brebeuf in Quebec, while the father recuperated from a broken clavicle. He wrote the words to the music of a sixteenth cenury Carol called “Une Jeune Pucelle” ( A Young Maid). Fortunatly one of the last Jesuit Missionaries to the Huron, Fr. de Villeneuve, wrote the old Huron words to the carol and later translated it into simple French. The following is a literal translation of the Huron Carol from the Huron to English language. Translation by John Steckley/Teondecheron
Huron Carol Sounds Clip
Huron Carol
Have courage, you who are humans; Jesus, he is born
Behold, the spirit who had us as prisoners has fled
Do not listen to it, as it corrupts the spirits of our minds
Jesus, he is born
They are spirits, sky people, coming with a message for us
They are coming to say, “Rejoice (Be on top of life)”
Marie, she has just given birth. Rejoice”
Jesus, he is born
Three have left for such, those who are elders
Tichion, a star that has just appeared on the horizon leads them there
He will seize the path, he who leads them there
Jesus, he is born
As they arrived there, where he was born, Jesus
the star was at the point of stopping, not far past it
Having found someone for them, he says, “Come here!”
Jesus, he is born
Behold, they have arrived there and have seen Jesus,
They praised (made a name) many times, sahying “Hurray, he is good in nature”
They greeted him with reverence (greased his scalp many times), saying ‘Hurray’
Jesus, he is born
“We will give to him praise for his name,
Let us show reverence for him as he comes to be compassionate to us.
It is providential that you love us and wish, ‘I should adopt them.'”
Jesus, he is born.
Huron/Wendat Language
Es-ten-nia-lon de tson-ou-e
Jesous a-ha-ton-hia,
On-naou-a-te-ou-a d’o-ki
N’on-ouan-da-skoua-en-tak;
En-non-chien skou-a-tri-ho-tat,
N’on-ou-an-di-lon-ra-cha-tha,
Jesous a-ha-ton-hia,
Jesous a-ha-ton-hi-a
“The Indians have a particular devotion for the night that was enlightened by the birth of the Son of God. They built a small chapel of cedar and fir branches in honour of the manger of the Infant Jesus.”
-Jesuit Relations 1642-