Lyr Req: Native American folk song

Subject: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 31 May 04 - 05:16 PM

I'm hping that someone can help me. I remember what I believe is a Native American folksong, but can only remember 2 words in the whole song. The words are "Kitche Manitou". I would love to find the full lyrics to this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Sorcha
Date: 31 May 04 - 05:31 PM

Try putting "kitchi manitou" into Google and see what comes up. Then, scroll to the bottome and click on Search within resuts. Type lyrics in the box.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Julia
Date: 31 May 04 - 05:39 PM

Could this be the Huron Carol

'Twas in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled
The mighty Gitche Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead

etc etc

Said to be written by a French priest for the Huron Indians in the 18th century

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jun 04 - 11:02 PM

"Gitchee Manitou," literally "Great Spirit," is the term used for the Creator in the Algonquian family of languages, which include the Ojibway (a.k.a. Anishinabe or Chippewa), Ottawa, Cree, Algonquin, Micmac, and Blackfeet.

There are many ways of spelling it: Gitche Manito, Gitchie Manitou, Giche Manitu, etc. Longfellow spelled it Gitche Manito in his poem "Hiawatha" which was based on Ojibway legends.

I imagine any song with that name would be a hymn or prayer.

This page, for instance, has a prayer in English that begins "O Great Spirit..." while the Ojibway version begins "O'o gichi-Manidoo..."

Given all the possible spelling variations, it would be difficult to search for a particular song by that title; I'd think your best bet might be to search for "Ojibway folk song", "Ojibway hymn", "Ojibway traditional literature", etc.

Here is the result of searching for (Anishinabe OR Ojibway OR Chippewa) (hymn OR prayer OR poem).

Subject: Lyr Add: HURON CAROL (Brebeuf/Middleton)
From: GUEST,harp
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 12:27 AM

The Huron Carol ('Twas In The Moon of Winter Time)


'Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim and wondering hunters heard the hymn,
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found;
A ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped 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 earliest moon of wintertime is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on the helpless infant there.
The chiefs from far before him knelt with gifts of fox and beaver pelt.
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free, O seed of Manitou
The holy Child of earth and heaven is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant boy who brings you beauty peace and joy.
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Words: Jean de Brebeuf, ca. 1643; trans by Jesse Edgar Middleton, 1926
Music: French Canadian melody (tune name: Jesous Ahatonhia)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Jun 04 - 01:28 AM

The Brebeuf's Huron Carol has been posted before, but search isn't working, so posting it here helps things along.
All of the poems and songs (including this carol) that I have seen with this name and variants are post-Christian influence and the concept has been integrated with the Christian God; I don't know if they should be regarded as "native Indian."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:11 AM

In the DT: HURON CAROL and HURON CAROL (2); also see the thread Lyr Add: Huron Carol.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Kate R.
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 06:28 PM

I found this forum topic on google searching for the epslling of lyrics to another Native American song I know. I'm trying to find out if I'm spelling it right, something like "hayo ipsi nia" I heard it when I was a kid on some educational show, but it may have been just vocables. It's annoying me because I'd like to write this down in a journal I keep chants and meditations in, but I can't spell it. It's one chant that's repeated over and over again with different notes and the pattern is like "hayo, hayo ispi nia..." so am I spelling it right?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 08:47 PM

Guest Kate, what you ask is almost impossible to answer based on those few sounds. A similar introduction of vocables to the few words of the song is common to the songs of White Horse, Fox and other societies. The problem is that similar syllables are used in many songs. Without knowing the language, tribe or the intent of the song, this is only a wild guess.
The following is a "sounds like" from Natalie Curtis and would make an Indian of that group laugh. Just an example-

Tasunke-ska Olowan
Song of the White Horse Society

E...a he ha ya hi yi yo a hi yi yo e ya ha e iya
I ya a he hi yi yo a ha yi yi I ya ha e i ya ai ye hi yi yo
E e e e yo!
E e a ha o-o-o-o

Ko-ea, ta ku o-te hi-ka
(Friend, whatever hardships threaten)
I-ma-ku-wa-pi-lo ni yo ye
(If you call me, I'll befriend you, O!)
He-na- ko-wo-ki-pi sni he wa-on-on we lo
(All enduring fearlessly, I'll befriend, befriend you)
E-ye-ye-ye yo!

Natalie Curtis, The Indians' Book, ca. 1906 (reprinted and re-issued by Bonanza).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Kate R.
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 11:06 PM

In my song, it was a chant of happiness and the three sounds/words were the only lyrics, I just was wondering if I was spelling them right, but thanks for the other song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Guest, Robyn,
Date: 04 Jan 11 - 08:38 PM

I to am trying to find a song, it is haunting my mind and need to find the name of the song, and possibly who sings it. Its a female singer... the words are as follows: (and please excuse spelling mistakes)

Late at night, you can hear them dancing,
Anna told me one day,
late at night, you can almost hear them singing...

Yes she is older now, but her memory stands still,
Shes older now, just look up over that hill,
late at night, you can hear them dancing,
Anna told me one day....

Yo wee ho, yo ho, yo ho,
guya oneyo, oh heya guy oneyo!

Yes shes older now, but the fire still burns,
shes older now, but in her heart she yearns to hear them dancing....

Yo wee ho, yo ho, yo ho,
guya oneyo, oh heya guy oneyo!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 06:21 PM

I think what you're talking about titled something like "Navajo Happy Song." I, too, remember learning it as a child.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Lara (Buenos Aires)
Date: 23 Apr 17 - 05:19 PM

I'm hping that someone can help me. I serching a song what I believe is a Native American folksong, but can only know the phonetics (in spanish, my english is very bad) .

"ma-pi-ato-wanka-ho-pii
aneginu-tanga-kunu-tambo
no mata ia
tate maa kaa
aneginu ginu tanga kunu tambo"

I would love to find the full lyrics to this song.
Thanks!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST,Lara (Buenos Aires)
Date: 23 Apr 17 - 05:47 PM

I also look for information about its origin
Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Native American folk song
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 17 - 08:32 PM

its called the Navajo Happy song. I learned it as a child in grade school as well. I have been trying to find the english translation to it with no luck.