In the US Halloween has become
a multi-billion dollar industry as Americans happily spend money on candy,
costumes and spooky décor.
It’s hard to imagine
that our modern holiday retains any of its original traditions but if you look
close enough you can still find them underneath all the masks, fake cobwebs and
grinning jack-o-lanterns.
The origin of Halloween
can be traced to the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain, which marked the
beginning of winter. The earliest Halloween celebrations were held by the
Druids to honor Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. This festival was held on
November 1, which was also the Celtic New Year. The beginning of winter- when
the light loses and the night wins.
The Celts believed that spirits
from the other world came the night before Samhain and destroyed vegetation
with their cold, icy breath. The spirits left the land barren for the winter.
Samhain was the most
sacred Celtic festival, the rituals linked people to their ancestors and the
past. Spirits held the secrets of the afterlife and the future so during this
time predictions has more power and omens could be read with more clarity. The
Druid priests would seek knowledge through divination to help the tribe- things
like health, wealth, the best time to move, when to make magic, how to cure an
illness.
Legend says that Samhain
assembled the souls of all those who had died the previous year. This “Samhain
Vigil” was when he sentenced the dead, he would judge them. Sinning souls were
confined to the shapes of lesser animals or twelve months. Good souls were
sentenced to another twelve months of death but were allowed to take human
shape.
Gifts and offerings were
thought to make Samhain more temperate so he would release souls to visit with
their loved ones.
The Celts wore disguises
to avert malicious spirits while putting out food and wine for their ancestors.
A parade would lead spirits out of town. If they thought the spirits needed
more appeasement they would offer sweet treats to send them on their way.
In early days horses and
humans were sacrificed, the humans were usually criminals. Confined in wicker
and thatch cages shaped as giants and animals they were set on fire and roasted
alive.
This practice was
outlawed by the Romans after the conquest of Britain. In 61 A.D. Suetonius
ordered the sacrificial groves and augury to be destroyed. But the rites
continued in many forms for centuries.
In medieval Europe black
cats were placed in wicker baskets and burned alive on Halloween. The cats were
thought to be witches familiars or witches shapeshifted into cat form.
In Britain horses were
sacrificed as late as 400 A.D during the feasts of Samhain.
Even after the church
Christianized Pagan practices oxen were sacrificed on Hallowmas to honor the
saints. They were sometimes led through the church to the altar.
In the eighth century
Samhain became All Saint’s Day which is also called All Hallows, and Hallowmas.
The night before became All Hallows Eve. The name was shortened with time to Hallows
Eve, Hallowe'en, and eventually Halloween.
Halloween has held on to
its macabre nature throughout the centuries.
Traditions like souling
and guising were precursors to our modern trick or treating.
In England the poor
would go souling door to door begging for soul cakes in exchange for prayers
for the givers and their deceased. This would occur on November 2, All Souls
Day.
Guising, the tradition
of wearing costumes and going door to door begging for food while singing or
reciting verse, can be traced back to Scotland as far back as the 16th
century. There are many accounts of it in Ireland and throughout Britain in the
18th and 19th centuries.
Many Halloween customs were
brought to the US in the mid-19th century when the Irish famine drove thousands
to immigrate to the United States. Where the Irish went, Halloween followed.
The Irish customs
blended with rituals practiced by the Germans, Scots, and English.
By the turn of the 20th
century Halloween had become a full blown American holiday. By 2013 more than
150 million consumers participated in American Halloween spending.
But Halloween isn’t the
only celebration of the dead.
Death is the one thing
that connects us all. Inescapable, death will visit each and every one of us.
That is why throughout
time and around the world people of different religions, backgrounds, cultures,
and ethnicities have had special days dedicated to honoring their
dead.
Death festivals are not
meant to be scary. They are a way to bridge the gap between the living and the
dead. Understanding death and knowing that we will not be forgotten, that our
loved ones will remember us long after we're gone, can help ease our fears.
In Bolivia relatives
decorate the skulls of their dead on November 9th, known as the
Day of the Skulls.
The Tuaregs,
who are a wandering people of the Sahara, visit graves on the first day
of Ramadan.
Jewish people visit
graves in the month of Tishri.
Near Indonesia on the
island of Bali spirits of the ancestors are believed to return during the first
five weeks of the Buddhist year.
The Hopi Native
Americans summon their dead during a festival at the summer solstice.
In ancient Egypt, the
Day of the Dead was celebrated during the winter solstice to honor the god
Osiris. The souls of the dead returned to the land of the living. Food was
spread out for them and lamps were lit and left burning throughout the night to
guide their way home.
In Greece the festival
of the dead was held in February. The third day of the Dionysus feast
of Anthesteria. After the first days of feasting and merriment, the
third day was dedicated to dead souls. They didn’t welcome the souls readily,
in fact they heavily guarded their homes and temples against lingering souls
and at the end of the festival would chase the spirits away with exorcism:
“Begone ye Keres. Anthesteria is over.” ( Halloween Through Twenty Centuries by Ralph and Adelin Linton)
The Romans
celebrated Parentalia, a nine day festival beginning February
13 honoring the dead. During this time temples were closed and marriages were
forbidden. This was an official holiday on the religious calendar but
celebrations were mostly private. Families made offerings of food, milk, wine
and honey to their dead and decorated tombs with garlands of flowers. The last
day of the festival, Feralia, was a public day to honor the dead.
An ancient ritual of the
dead celebrated in Rome May 9, 11, and 13 was called Lemuria or Lemuralia.
During this festival Romans performed exorcism rights to free malevolent and
fearful ghosts. It is thought that this custom was Christianized and turned
into All Saints’ Day which was later moved to November.
On All Souls’ Day in
Naples, Italy people visit the dead and leave “calling cards” by penciling
their names on relatives’ tombs. The night before All Souls, people visit
cemeteries and dress up the exposed remains of dead relatives.
On All Souls’ Day in
France churches are draped in darkness and feature funeral songs and prayers
for the dead.
Haiti celebrates All
Souls Day on November 2, decorating in purple, white and black- the colors of
the Vodou- the spirits of the dead. People give offerings to Baron Samedi, the
loa of the dead.
In Guatemala the dead
are celebrated on November 1, All Saint’s Day with a kite festival. Colorful
kites are flown over graveyards, thought to reach the spirits in heaven.
Hungry Ghost Festival
For Buddhists and
Taoists in China and many other Asian countries, an entire month is spent honoring
their ancestors, called Hungry Ghost Month. The month ends with the Hungry Ghost
Festival, also known as
the Zhongyuan Festival.
During the month of the
Hungry Ghost Festival, the gates of the afterlife are opened and spirits are
free to return to earth in search of food, entertainment and mischief. Like
Halloween the Hungry Ghost Festival balances fear and frivolity. Though some people
are afraid to go out at night because ghosts who have passed through the gates might
haunt them.
The festival takes place
every year on the evening of the 15th day of Ghost Month, the 7th month on the
lunar calendar when the gates to the netherworld are said to be wide open to
the world of the living. Ghost month occurs in July or August on Western
calendars.
Celebrations include parades,
lantern release, and offerings on altars. Families place paper offerings like fake
money, paper cars, watches, etc. into metal bins. The paper is set on fire to
send prosperity to the ancestors in the afterlife.
Pchum Ben
Between mid-September
and mid-October each year Cambodians celebrate Pchum Ben.
Pchum Ben is one of the
most important holidays on the Khmer religious calendar. For fifteen days
Cambodians gather at pagodas wearing white, the color of mourning, to remember
their ancestors.
During Pchum Ben the
line between the living and dead is at its thinnest. At this time spirits come
back to the world of the living wishing to atone for the sins of their past
life.
Similar to Chinese
beliefs, the spirits are thought to wander the world of the living as hungry
ghosts. They are offered food and drink to appease their otherworldly hunger.
Cambodians carry food to the pagodas where Buddhist monks make the offerings to
the spirits.
Visitors can see Pchum Ben rituals
and festivities in almost any Cambodian city just remember it is a religious
holiday so you must observe certain requirements, such as wearing white. Avoid wearing
tank tops, shorts or other clothing that might be deemed disrespectful.
Toro Nagashi and Obon
First held in
1946, Toro Nagashi (flowing
lanterns) is a Japanese ceremony to commemorate the souls of the dead.
Participants float glowing paper lanterns down the Sumida River in Tokyo. Toro
Nagashi was put on hold in 1965 for 40 years while flood walls were installed
on the riverbank. It resumed in 2005 when a terrace and walking path
were constructed along the river.
Toro Nagashi is
typically observed during Obon; a three-day Buddhist festival held in honor of
one’s ancestors.
During Obon, families
visit and clean the graves of their ancestors. It was believed that the spirits
of the ancestors return to their family’s household altar during this time. Toro
Nagashi takes place at the end of Obon. The ritual of releasing the lanterns
symbolizes the return of the spirits to the afterlife. Outside of Obon, Toro
Nagashi festivals are held in memoriam of tragic events. Now lantern festivals
are held all over the country.
Obon is sometimes
referred to as the Japanese Day of the Dead.
Traditionally celebrated
during the seventh lunar month around the 15th day. Today is roughly August 15.
Many festivals throughout Japan are held from August 13 to 16.
In Kyoto, Japan you might catch a glimpse of bon-odori, a dance performed to welcome spirits into the
world of the living. To publically
celebrate the end of Obon residents light giant bonfires in the hills
surrounding the city. The fires guide
spirits back to the world of the dead.
Chuseok
Chuseok is celebrated in
North and South Korea. Filled with dancing, games and food, Koreans also use
this holiday to honor their ancestors.
Celebrated on the 15th
day of the eighth lunar calendar month the celebration coincides with the fall
harvest so the living gives thanks to the dead for providing bountiful crops.
During the day Koreans visit and clean the graves
of their ancestors and at night they participate in folk games and dances.
Compared to the American Thanksgiving Korean families celebrate Chuseok by
sharing their harvest with others. The holiday is very food centric.
Gai Jatra
In Nepal the Gai Jatra,
festival of the cows, is held each year in August or September. In Hinduism the cow is one of the most revered
animals.
Families who lost a
relative in the previous year lead a cow, or a child dressed as a cow, down the
street in a parade procession. Participants believe the cow will lead their
deceased family member into the afterlife.
The festival’s origins
can be traced to the 17th century. Nepal’s King Pratap Malla invited people to
dress in costume and perform in front of the palace. The couple had lost their
son and the King wished to make his wife happy. The queen enjoyed the
celebration and the parade has continued ever since.
Today participants still
dress in costume to celebrate the procession. A good place to visit to witness
the festivities is Kathmandu.
Dia de los Muertos
In parts of Latin
America, Spain, and Mexico, Dia de los Muertos- Day of the Dead, is celebrated.
Day of Dead is a
colorful, fun, three day festival that starts on the evening of October 31 and
ends November 2- All Souls’ Day.
Traditionally it was
believed that at midnight on October 31, the souls of all deceased children
come down from heaven and reunite with their families on November 1, and the
souls of deceased adults reunite with their families on November 2.
Many families construct
an altar in their homes for Dia de los Muertos. This altar honors deceased
relatives. It is often decorated with candy, flowers, photographs, fresh water,
and the deceased’s favorite foods and drinks along with papel picado a
beautiful handcrafted Mexican paper. Artisans stack colored tissue paper in
dozens of layers,
then perforate the layers with hammer and chisel points. The
art represents the fragility of life.
Día de los Muertos festivities often feature breads, candies
and other foods in the shape of skulls and skeletons. The sweet bread is
called pan de muerto. These treats are said to represent the souls
of the deceased.
Copal incense, made from
tree resin, purifies the area around the altar. Candles and incense are burned
to help the deceased find the way home.
Marigolds are the main
flowers you’ll find on altars and grave sites. Marigold petals are scattered
from altar to grave site to guide wandering souls back to their place of rest.
Relatives clean and
decorate the gravesites of departed family members. This includes cutting
grass, clearing out weeds, repairing anything that is broken and giving it a
fresh coat of paint. After everything is cleaned and repaired the grave is then
decorated with flowers and wreaths. On All Souls’ Day relatives picnic at the
gravesites, festivities sometimes include a mariachi band and tequila.
The tradition dates back
3,000 years to the Aztecs. According to Aztec mythology the world of the dead
is called Mictlan. Mourning the dead was considered disrespectful. The dead
were still considered to be members of the community, kept alive in memory and
spirit. During Día de los Muertos the dead temporarily return to
Earth.
In the 16th century the
Spanish arrived in central Mexico and thought the tradition was sacrilegious.
But it was not banished, instead the celebration evolved and incorporated
elements of Christianity. Originally it was observed in the summer but as
Christianity took over it was changed to coincide with All Saints’ and All
Souls’ Day.
Calavera means skull and
is a common symbol for Día de los Muertos. During the late 18th and
early 19th centuries, calavera was also used to describe short poems, often
sarcastic tombstone epitaphs that poked fun at the living. These literary
calaveras became a popular part of Día de los Muertos celebrations. Now you’ll
often find these witty poems in print, read aloud, and broadcast on television
and radio programs during Día de los Muertos.
In the early 20th
century, a Mexican political cartoonist and lithographer named José Guadalupe
Posada created an etching to accompany a literary calavera. Posada dressed his
creation in fancy French garb and called it Calavera Garbancera, intending it
to be social commentary. “Todos somos calaveras”, a quote
commonly attributed to Posada, translates to “we are all skeletons.” Meaning
that underneath everything, we are all the same.
In 1947 artist Diego
Rivera featured Posada’s stylized skeleton in a mural “Dream of a Sunday
Afternoon in Alameda Park.” Rivera dressed Posada’s skeletal bust in a large
feminine hat and named her Catrina, slang for the rich. Today
Calavera Catrina, or elegant skull, is a popular Day of the Dead symbol.
The original sugar skulls
were a sugar art created by 17th-century Italian missionaries. The sugar skulls
were pressed in molds and decorated with crystalline colors.
Popular foods and
offerings for Day of the Dead are Pulqu a sweet fermented
beverage made from the agave sap; Atole is a thin warm
porridge made from corn flour, with unrefined cane sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla
added; and hot chocolate.
Day of the Dead
symbolism has decoratively entered mainstream US Halloween culture.
You can see sugar skull
designs, costumes and décor right next to the traditional pumpkins, ghosts and
vampires in the Halloween section of any store.
Sadly most people just
like the bright and colorful sugar skull designs without knowing the origins or
meanings behind them.
To authentically experience
the holiday, visit Mixquic, which is southwest of Mexico City’s center. Mixquic
is famous for its Día de los Muertos celebrations. They have vendors, parades
and vibrant celebrations. The cemetery comes alive with beautiful altars, and
graves covered in flowers and other decorations.
Images from Pixabay.com
If
you decide to visit any of the cities and festivals, please be respectful. They
may seem exciting and fun but the festivals are for honoring the dead. They sacred to the culture. Respect that.
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