DESCRIPTION:
Iesus Ahatonyah was written in 1643 by Jean de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Wendat ("Huron") people of Upper Canada. It was written in the Wendat language and is also known as "The Huron Carol". There are several (poor) English translations in circulation. I have attempted what I think is a more culturally accurate rendition into English. If I were to record this over again I would replace "angel choirs" in the first verse with "Sky People", a more accurate rendering from Wendat. That is how I perform it now. This was originally released in 2006 as a part of the Illegible Records Christmas compilation: "An Illegible Records Christmas: Shelter In The Night". The images are mostly by Fr. John Guilliani, S.J. and available through Bridge Building Images: http://www.bridgebuilding.com/