By Joanna Ebbutt
For the last ten years, Upper Canada Choristers has been delighting its audiences with our very own version of the perennial Christmas favourite, Silent Night. We had it translated into more than ten languages, to reflect the varied background of our choristers – and one of those languages was Mohawk.
Out of the blue, Artistic Director Laurie Evan Fraser was recently contacted by the Hockley Community Centre Choir. They were looking for a Mohawk carol for this year’s Christmas concert, since one of their long-time choristers, John Lee, has Indigenous Mohawk ancestry. During their online search they discovered our Mohawk version of Silent Night and hoped we would allow him to sing it.
Laurie’s immediately response was that UCC was grateful for the opportunity to provide this amazing addition to their concert.
Laurie was further touched by John Lee’s response. He wrote that he was humbled that UCC had agreed to share our music, and went on to explain that an elder from his previous faith community had researched and “gifted” him with actual documentation of his ancestry.
Being from St. Catharines, John had known from an early age that his family and community were described as Assimilated Disenfranchised, but the elder was able to trace his family back to 1793, including the warriors of the War of 1812-1814. He added:
“I will be sharing Silent Night in Mohawk with Christ Church Anglican Bolton as well. I have been singing Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art for years, and the Huron Carol even longer. With the help of the Mohawk Bible, I have learned my language as best I can.”
John’s formal and poetic thanks capture the emotional impact of being able to sing in Mohawk:
Nia: Wen Ko Wa (thank you very much in Kanien'kéha / Mohawk)
I thank Creator that as I age, I can still learn with the amazement of a child learning new words.
I may never be able to converse in my Ancestors’ Language, but I am extremely grateful and humbled to be able to sing.
My heart is filled with joy.
In Hockley I shall sing for All of My Ancestors, Indigenous and Irish.
Blessings to All and many thanks again.
Sawatis John Rongwe diiat Terranotha (Grey Wolf Man that Sings),
John Michael Lee
