Quotes Art Gallery 11

HURON CAROL
Illustration by Frances Tyrrell

According to Huron tradition, a Jesuit missionary priest named Fr. Jean de Brebeuf wrote the Hurons' first Christmas Carol, "Twas in the Moon of Wintertime," in 1640 or 1641. The Hurons had a particular devotion to Christmas, Fr. Brebeuf said. They built a small chapel of fir tree and bark in honour of the manger at Bethlehem. This became the "stable" where Jesus was born.
Some Huron tribal members traveled days to be there for the Christmas celebration.

lyrics and sound: The Huron Carol

Peace on Earth and Good Will Towards All
by Jodi Bergsma

May our world heal our differences through peace and understanding. May we learn to forgive. May we accept and serve life through our elders' teachings. And may we love ourselves from that humble place inside the goodness of our souls.
Gina Boltz, Native Village

First Pot
Valjean Hessing, Choctaw

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your elders. Ask while they are still here, because when they are gone, that’s another piece of our oral history that disappears forever that you can’t get back. Ask now and retain that knowledge. Teach your children this knowledge. Pass it on. It’s our duty for the generations to come.”
Conrad Brown, Meskwaki

Christmas Prayer
Brummett Echohawk, Pawnee

"There is one God looking down on us all. We are children of the one God. God is listening to me. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we now say."
Geronimo, Apache