WINNIPEG, MB
Cheers erupted in Winkler this evening as, for the first time in NHL history, the Canadian national anthem was performed in the Mennonite dialect of Low German.
“I’m used to this at Winkler Flyers games,” said hockey fan Abe Loeppky. “But I never thought the Vanapag Jats would do it.”
It was the first time Loeppky had ever tuned in to watch the anthem.
“Usually I shut off the TV during commercials and secular songs,” said Loeppky. “But I think doing ‘O Canada’ in Plautdietsch kind of makes it a hymn, now, doesn’t it?”
Critics, however, have pointed out that the new Low German lyrics seemed to have been churned out using Google Translate or something.
“And not all the Mennonites like it,” said Loeppky. “I hear the MBers are demanding a proper version in High German.”
The anthem was confusing for Jets fans with many folks not knowing when to shout ‘true north’ and others wondering where to spit their knackzoat.