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Random Christmas Post #6
Dec. 23rd, 2011 09:07 amI promised...someone...the best version of "'Twas In The Moon of Wintertime" (aka "The Huron Carol") ever recorded.
And here it is:
Apparently my lj is doing that thing where it doesn't like vids (which is problematic for my "Watch The Hobbit Trailer A Lot" plan), so here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IG6F6E5Ac
I love the use of Wendat, French and English (as it is the order in which the song was written), and Heather's sheer power (and finesse) as singer. I love that this is Canada's only Christmas Carol. I love that Heather took the time to find better translations than the one in the traditional canon. I love that it commemorates a part of our history that came thisclose to actually being beneficial to someone, and ultimately failed due to misplayed imperialism and lack of communication. We skate over a lot of Canadian history in schools (and culture) here. You're not allowed to suggest the French ever screwed up, you're not allowed to talk about beating the French soundly on the Plains d'Abram, and as a consequence, we often don't talk about the English screw ups either. And, good lord, was this a screw up.
Aside from that, though, what I love is that the song represents the inclusivity of Christmas, the willingness of early (well, earlier) Christians to explain and adapt, rather than just steamroll (um, not that there wasn't a fair amount of steamrolling. I get that. But the song was a genuine attempt to explain, and I like that). Christianity prides itself on taking all comers, and I think sometimes we forget that or fail to explain what that really means. This song really says "This is my holy day, which I have built, let me explain it to you in a way that you can understand, because I realize that it might not make very much sense."
Also? THIS SONG IS SO PRETTY. You should all go to Heather's website, and buy This Endris Night, which is one of the more beautiful Christmas albums you will ever find (um, including Good King Wenceslas. Which I am getting to, I promise).
And here it is:
Apparently my lj is doing that thing where it doesn't like vids (which is problematic for my "Watch The Hobbit Trailer A Lot" plan), so here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IG6F6E5Ac
I love the use of Wendat, French and English (as it is the order in which the song was written), and Heather's sheer power (and finesse) as singer. I love that this is Canada's only Christmas Carol. I love that Heather took the time to find better translations than the one in the traditional canon. I love that it commemorates a part of our history that came thisclose to actually being beneficial to someone, and ultimately failed due to misplayed imperialism and lack of communication. We skate over a lot of Canadian history in schools (and culture) here. You're not allowed to suggest the French ever screwed up, you're not allowed to talk about beating the French soundly on the Plains d'Abram, and as a consequence, we often don't talk about the English screw ups either. And, good lord, was this a screw up.
Aside from that, though, what I love is that the song represents the inclusivity of Christmas, the willingness of early (well, earlier) Christians to explain and adapt, rather than just steamroll (um, not that there wasn't a fair amount of steamrolling. I get that. But the song was a genuine attempt to explain, and I like that). Christianity prides itself on taking all comers, and I think sometimes we forget that or fail to explain what that really means. This song really says "This is my holy day, which I have built, let me explain it to you in a way that you can understand, because I realize that it might not make very much sense."
Also? THIS SONG IS SO PRETTY. You should all go to Heather's website, and buy This Endris Night, which is one of the more beautiful Christmas albums you will ever find (um, including Good King Wenceslas. Which I am getting to, I promise).
