The Huron Carol

Caroline M. Hallsworth is a librarian at Cambrian College in Sudbury.

The haunting “Huron Carol,” originally written in the seventeenth
century by Father Jean de Brébeuf, depicts the story of the Nativity in
the context of Huron traditions and beliefs. The Huron Carol,
illustrated by Kirkland Lake native Frances Tyrell, brings new magic to
this traditional Canadian hymn. Pen-and-ink drawings, in shades of blue
that recall the colors of Canadian winter nights, fill each page,
overlaid by an arched window through which one sees marvelous
illustrations of great detail and authenticity. Tyrell’s illustrations
are in perfect harmony with the text and convey respect for the Native
traditions from which the “Huron Carol” emerged. At the end of the
book is a page detailing the carol’s history—a history that has
certainly been enriched by Tyrell’s wonderful book.