MIGHTY GITCHI MANITOU

Of Toronto’s two founding first nations villages, Teiaiagon to the west astride the Humber River (Teiaiagon means “crossing point” or "it crosses the stream”), in the area now known as Baby Point near Jane and Bloor, proved the more significant. Etienne Brule may have gone through that area between 1615-1618 though that is now in doubt.

First nations peoples tended to move their villages about every 15 years as soil became exhausted. There is no way to know how many previous tribes chose that impressive site through the centuries. Steep banks on three sides made for sound defense and easy access to water made survival during a siege possible. It is an attractive site to keep your people safe.

French Jesuits Brebeuf and Chaumonot serving at St Marie among the Huron (Midland) spent the winter in the Hamilton-Brantford area in 1640-41 among the Attawandaron (it means in Huron something like "people whose speech is a little off"). The French called them "Neutral" since they had avoided choosing sides between the Iroquois and the Huron. Since there are signs of a large Huron village near Hackett Lake (Weston Road and 16th Sideroad, King Twp) is it possible that Brebeuf and Chaumonot traveled the Carrying Place en route?

However, neither Teiaiagon to the west nor the smaller Ganasekwagon to the east were established by Iroqouis until the 1660s - 1670's. Upon their arrival, the Huron retreated north. It is certain that Louis Hennepin arrived at Teiaiagon in 1678, and Rene-Robert Cavelier de La Salle was there in 1680.

Roman Catholics' low-key relational approach won many friends among first nations peoples, in a way that the more aggressive European protestants could only envy.

Huron called Jean de Brébeuf "Echon" meaning "Healing Tree", due to the medicines he brought them from Europe. Brébeuf's Huron Carol circa 1643 is one of Canada’s earliest and finest musical achievements. Perhaps some of this hymn was composed in the environs of the Carrying Place!

’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:

Refrain: 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:

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.

O children of the forest free,
O seed of Manitou,
The holy Child of earth and Heav’n
Is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant Boy,
Who brings you beauty, peace and joy.

Huron Carol tr. fr. Huron to English by J. Edgar Middleton, 1926.