The Huron Carol in Huron, English and French!

What a wonderful surprise it was today to receive an email from Patricia Carroll, the younger sister of Madeleine, who was in the same class as me at Chapleau High School in the Fifties. And she attached an awesome rendtition of The Huron Carol in Huron, English and French. Thanks so much Patricia.

Here is Patricia's email:

You may not know me but I remember you when I was 10 yrs. old living in Chapleau with my sister Monica and brother in law Andre Thibault circa 1955 to 1957. I am Madeleine Carroll's youngest sister, Patricia also aunt to Rick, Ron and Jamie Thibault. When I say I remember you, it means I remember seeing you on the main street as I remember so many faces going and coming from school and knowing the names and nicknames. I live in Windsor and I am retired from Chrysler Canada Ltd. I have many fond memories of Chapleau and its wonderful residents, of which many were my relatives.

My mother's first cousin Father Albert Burns was a Jesuit and parish priest of Sacred Heart church in Chapleau. At this special time of the year I would like to pass this beautiful carol (hymn) which is sung in Huron, French and English. Most importantly it was written by the Jesuit martyr, Jean de Breboeuf and is considered to be the oldest North American Christmas carol.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year, Michael and I love reading your report on a regular basis even though I have been away from Chapleau for 53 years.

Here is the beautiful Huron Carol written by Jean de Breboeuf so very long ago!

Mona (Alajoki) MacKenzie 'strange feeling' no snow while in United Arab Emirates at Christmas

Mona (Alajoki) MacKenzie, a former student from my days at Chapleau High School has had the opportunity to live in United Arab Emirates, including Christmas away from Canada. Mona kindly shared the experience.


Here is Mona's story:

For ourselves, we tried to find a getaway vacations, anywhere within reasonable flight range, 5 hours or so. We went to the Philippines, Egypt, Kuala Lampor, Oman, India and Malaysia, just to name a few.

While we were in Pakistan, we joined the United Nations Club, they were wonderful. They provided a variety of different cuisines and entertainment from all nationalities.

During our stay in the United Arab Emirates, we joined the Canadian Club, Abu Dhabi, which also has a web presence on Facebook. (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84165812325)
 The club focused on Canadian Expats, bringing them closer to one another while away from Canada.

It is a very strange feeling, not seeing the snow, hmmm, When I first went to the Middle East, there was very little in the form of recognizing the Christian Holiday. And this last year there, they had many themes in the Malls with Christmas  Trees and decorations. It was nice to see.

Many of the 5 * Hotels always had a Christmas Theme, with banquets to celebrate the season.

I also realize, that this was meant for the tourists from Europe, as there has been an increasing number

LOL, I wish I could have sent you something, a little more exciting; however, we did enjoy scuba diving, sailing, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, wind surfing, kayaking and mountain hiking, on our many trips away from the UAE.

Mona Lisa (Alajoki) MacKenzie

Thanks for sharing Mona...mj

Good King Wenceslas connected to Chapleau with memories of a childhood Christmas Eve as 'snow lay round about...'

DR G E YOUNG 'HOUSE BY NIGHT AT CHRISTMAS'

When Good King Wenceslas looked out and saw the snow with the moon shining bright in about the year 1000, he could have been describing Chapleau weather on almost any Christmas Eve in its history.




Before I go any further with King Wenceslas and his Chapleau connection as revealed in the popular carol 'Good King Wenceslas', I have only recently discovered that he was not really a king, but the Duke of Bohemia, and he was looking out on the Feast of St Stephen, the day after Christmas. To me it doesn't really matter as the carol brings back fond memories and delivers a message that applies any time.


Some readers will recall that my mother Muriel E. (Hunt) Morris directed many concerts and musicals during the 32 years that she taught at Chapleau Public School, and she was also the choir director at St. John's Anglican Church for years. Music was an important part of our home, and that's how I became acquainted with King Wenceslas as a boy. Mom would sing at home.

It became the carol that to me applied most to Chapleau weather at Christmas time. Looking outside before leaving for Christmas Eve service, "the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel..."

As we headed to St. John's, I would hum the carol and think to myself that all that needed to be added was the smoke going straight up into the skies, the temperature hovering at Fifty degrees below Fahrenheit and the music and wonderful display at Dr. G.E. Young's office building.

The lyrics were published in 1853 by the English hymn writer John Mason Neale.

Now, the carol addresses a subject that I never thought about much as a child growing up in Chapleau. I had my family, friends and a community where people cared about and helped each other in times of need.

Even though there were times when I missed my father James E Morris who was killed while on active service in the RCAF in World War II, I had my mother, my grandparents George and Edith Hunt and Harry and Lil Morris as well as my aunt and uncle, Elsie (Hunt) and B.W. 'Bubs" Zufelt and my cousins, and my aunt Marion (Morris) Kennedy.

But as the King walks with his page, "a poor man came in sight, Gathering winter fuel." The page tells him that this man lives "underneath the mountain."

On Christmas Eve in Chapleau those many years ago, as we greeted people on the street who were going to or coming from their respective churches, I never really thought about those who may be homeless and without food--- living underneath the mountain, so to speak.

The good King took immediate action though telling his page to gather food and wine and pine logs that they would take to the peasant and see him dine, "through the rude wind's wild lament, And the bitter weather."

The page was ready to give up as the night grew darker and wind blew stronger, but the King encouraged him and they made it to their destination.

As I reflected on "Good King Wenceslas" it struck me that one of the most incredible moments when I lived in Chapleau was a telethon broadcast over Dr. Young's cable TV system in the early 1980s to raise funds for those in need, and over $20,000 was raised during the show. I was cohosting the telethon with other local "personalities" , sponsored by the Chapleau Rotary Club, and as the donations poured in, I became more and more amazed at the outpouring of support.

As many of you know, especially my former students, I love metaphor and have been collecting them all my life. I hope I have not mixed them too badly as I have talked about the Good King Wenceslas connection to Chapleau.

At this Christmas time, I extend my very best wishes to my family and friends who have shared moments of their lives with me during the past year. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas.

My thoughts also turn to all the good people of Chapleau, past and present, and I leave all of you wherever you may be with the last words from 'Good King Wenceslas',

"Therefore ... be sure, Wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, Shall yourselves find blessing."

Merry Christmas! my email is mj.morris@live.ca


GOOD KING WENCESLAS LYRICS

Good King Wenceslas looked out


On the feast of Stephen

When the snow lay round about

Deep and crisp and even

Brightly shone the moon that night

Though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight

Gath'ring winter fuel



"Hither, page, and stand by me

If thou know'st it, telling

Yonder peasant, who is he?

Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence

Underneath the mountain

Right against the forest fence

By Saint Agnes' fountain."



"Bring me flesh and bring me wine

Bring me pine logs hither

Thou and I will see him dine

When we bear him thither."

Page and monarch forth they went

Forth they went together

Through the rude wind's wild lament

And the bitter weather



"Sire, the night is darker now

And the wind blows stronger

Fails my heart, I know not how,

I can go no longer."

"Mark my footsteps, my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shalt find the winter's rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly."



In his master's steps he trod

Where the snow lay dinted

Heat was in the very sod

Which the Saint had printed

Therefore, Christian men, be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing