My 13 year old daughter has a sadistic drama teacher who sent home a Christmas trivia take-home test. She could look the answers up on the internet, OR in the library OR just by asking someone she knows. :rolleyes: Some are pretty easy (Name all nine of Santa’s reindeer) and some are damn difficult. One has stumped both of us, IE:
Some historians believe that the first American Christmas carols were sung by a tribe of Indians. What Indian tribe was it?
I have never heard anything about this and couldn’t find anything on the 'net. Do any of the teeming millions
know anything about this? A cite will be fine, if you don’t want to do her homework for her. However, she’s doing the rest of it herself (all 50 questions) and it’s a pretty stupid assignment, so I don’t mind if you just come out with the answer!
Umm, I don’t think that can be correct if the question is correctly quoted. In 1640 there weren’t any “Americans”. The Hurons would have been in “New France” I think (not sure exactly where the Hurons were in 1640) or maybe an “un-named” area. The question may not have a correct answer. Then again who knows what “some historians” believe.
It’s the Huron Carol.
My Christmas music book credits this, quote "This is one of the first and still one of the few carols to have originated in North America.
Not so Spritle: Here is the song & Jess that drama teacher should have said ‘song’ not ‘songs’. Anyway here is the first one:
Aloki ekwatatennonten shekwachiendaen
Iontonk ontatiande ndio sen tsatonnharonnion
Ouarie onnawakueton ndio sen tsatonnharonnion
Iesous ahatonnia!
aka The Huron Carol
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 wond'ring hunters heard the hymn:
Jesus, your King is born,
Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria.
O, harken to the angels' word,
Do not decline
To heed the message which you heard:
The Child Divine,
As they proclaim, has come this morn
Of Mary pure. Let us adore.
Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria.
Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapp'd 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 sons of Manitou,
The Holy Child of earth and heav'n
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.
The first American Christmas carol was written by a saint - and a member of the Society of Jesus. Now known as “The Huron
Carol”, it was written by St. John de Brébeuf, Jesuit missionary to the Huron Indians, who was martyred in 1649 by the
Iroquois. Father de Brébeuf worked among the Hurons from 1626 until he was burnt at the stake after suffering heinously
brutal torture. The Iroquois also attacked and destroyed the Huron mission in 1649 and 1650.
or maybe an “un-named” area. The question may not have a correct answer. Then again who knows what “some historians” believe.