CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TO ALL

[Carol Anne Kincaid~Paradis]

I asked God for strength, that I might
achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn
humbly to obey...
I asked for health , that I might do greater
things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do
better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the
praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the
need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing that I asked for ~ but everything
I had hoped for,
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers
were answered,
I am among all men. most richly blessed.
This is a Inspirational poem from a soldier
I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. It has been a very challenging year for me and many as well.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are
the ones we've been waiting for . We are the change that we seek. Stay strong ! Live Lightly and Love Deeply Love you my friend 

Public feasts in any season of the year are of great importance to American Indians. As social events they hold the tribe together. People can meet and talk, with no distractions of work needing to be done, other than the kitchen. Their hearts would he warmed by all the activity and hard attitudes would soften.
Winter Months are times for story telling and rest. Our lessons for life are evident all around us. As the Earth rests so should we. Feasts are also a good time for young people to see and meet each other. They broke up what would otherwise have been a very hard life, filled with work, the everyday work of staying alive.

Also Tribal dances are an important part of our American Indian tradition. This participation would sometimes prepare individuals for a task, or add to the celebration of a particular event. The historical story of the tribe is often seen in the dances — they are very sacred to us.

Likewise the customs give us a framework for our lives. Customs surrounding birth, death and initiation into adulthood and so on all played an important part in the development of the tribe and its members.

Many Native American people found that the story of Christmas and Christ's birth fulfilled tribal prophecies and found the message to be consistent with the truth that was handed down by their ancestors.

Over time other social customs, that were introduced to them by the European missionaries have become adapted to the native cultures and are an integral part of Tribal Christmas traditions today, just as they are in most non-Indian homes.

The First Native American Christmas Carol

According to Huron tradition, a Jesuit missionary priest, Fr Jean de Brebeuf, wrote their first Christmas Carol around 1640-41. The Huron built a small chapel of fir trees and bark in honor of the manger at Bethlehem.

Aloki ekwatatennonten shekwachiendaen
Iontonk ontatiande ndio sen tsatonnharonnion
Ouarie onnawakueton ndio sen tsatonnharonnion
Iesous ahatonnia!

Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender Babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Wrapped 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 animals at the manger were the Fox, the Buffalo and the Bear. The Huron also made a traditional tent of skins and their nativity figures were all dressed as Native Americans. This Huron Carol, originally written in the Huron language and later translated to French, has become a loved Canadian carol today