Inuit Leader Demands Lyric Change For Christmas Songs

Iqaluit

If Winter Wonderland or The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) happen to be two of your favourite Christmas carols, you might want to prepare yourself for updated versions.

Natan Obed, leader of Canada's 55,000 Inuit peoples,
is demanding a lyric-change to two popular Christmas songs.

On Monday, the president of Tapiriit Kanatami - the organization which gives voice to Canada's 55,000 Inuit people - held a packed news conference stating that his organization is demanding that the lyrics of the two widely-used songs be changed to be inclusive of his people. Natan Obed, 39, president since September, told assembled media that the use of the word eskimo in both songs is "not merely an impolite relic of the past, but a continued demeaning slur that needs to be put to rest; it is morally and culturally reprehensible."

Obed said that after extensive consultation with Inuit peoples living in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), the new lyrics of the two Christmas songs would be as follows:

Winter Wonderland:

When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Canadian Inuit way,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, 
Jack Frost nipping at your nose, 
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, 
And folks dressed up like Canada's proud Inuit peoples, 
But only if they're actually Inuit.

Mr. Obed made headlines during Canada's Grey Cup football week when he called on the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos to change their name.

From Our Iqaluit Bureau