Huron Carol facts for kids

The "Huron Carol" (also known as "Twas in the Moon of Wintertime") is Canada's oldest Christmas song. It's a special hymn written around 1642 by Jean de Brébeuf. He was a Jesuit missionary who lived at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Canada.

Brébeuf wrote the original words in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people. The song's first Huron title was "Jesous Ahatonhia", which means "Jesus, he is born". The tune for the song comes from an old French folk song called "Une Jeune Pucelle" ("A Young Maid").

The English words we know today were written in 1926 by Jesse Edgar Middleton. These English lyrics became public domain in 2011, meaning anyone can now use them freely.

The English version of the song tells the Christmas story using ideas that were common in the early 1900s and relate to Huron culture. For example, in this version, Jesus is born in a "lodge of broken bark" and wrapped in a "robe of rabbit skin". Instead of shepherds, hunters are around him. The Magi (wise men) are shown as "chiefs from afar" who bring gifts of "fox and beaver pelts". This is different from the traditional gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The English translation also uses a traditional Algonquian name, Gitchi Manitou, for God. This name was not in the original Wyandot version. Sometimes, the original lyrics are changed a bit to make them easier for Christians who don't know much about the cultures of Canada's First Peoples.

Today, the Huron Carol is still a very common Christmas hymn in Canadian churches. You can also find it in many American hymnals, like The Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal Church (United States) (No. 114).

Because the song's tune doesn't go very high or low, it's perfect for instruments that have a small range of notes, such as the Native American flute.

Different Versions of the Song

Many artists have recorded their own versions of the Huron Carol.

• In 1952, Burl Ives included the song, as "Jesous Ahatonia", on his album Christmas Day in the Morning. He later released it as a single called "Indian Christmas Carol".
• Bruce Cockburn has also recorded the song in its original Huron language.
• Tom Jackson performs this song during his yearly Huron Carole tour.
• Crash Test Dummies included it on their 2002 album, Jingle All the Way.
• The Elora Festival Singers, a Canadian group, featured a beautiful choral version by R. Anderson on their 1997 album The Mystery of Christmas.
• Loreena McKennitt rearranged the music in 2008, calling it "Breton Carol".
• In 2011, The Canadian Tenors released a new recording with a very mystical feel.
• Terry McDade and The McDades recorded a version in 2001 that featured Indian bansuri flute.
• In 2002, Heather Dale released a version with three languages (Wendat [Huron], French, English). She updated it in 2017 with an American Sign Language translation on YouTube. Dale uses a different English translation by Father H. Kierans.
• Sarah McLachlan recorded the song on her 2016 holiday album, Wonderland.

English Lyrics

Here are the well-known English lyrics written by Jesse Edgar Middleton in 1926.

See also

In Spanish: Villancico hurón para niños