Before you all take the kids out in their Iron Man costumes, or don your Sarah Palin-in-drag attire, or gorge on marked-down Halloween candy, let’s take a moment to pay homage to our ancestors by reflecting on the Celtic origins of this now thoroughly commercialized holiday.
Halloween derives most of its customs and timing from the holiday of Samhain (pronounced sow-en), which is in Irish Oíche Shamhna (pronounced ee-heh how-nah). In Gaelic cultures the festival took place around October 31, in our calendar, and was dedicated to the end of the harvest and to the dead. Traditions differed slightly throughout the region, but I focus here on Irish customs, because those are my people. (I like to think.)
In medieval times, a great gathering took place at the hill of Tara, ancient seat of the kings. Villages held huge feasts that brought people together in merriment, but it was also the time to begin storing food for the winter and slaughtering livestock. Many tales in Irish folklore begin at the Samhain feast, the hero starting out on his quest right after. Great bonfires were lit to mark the beginning of the dark half of the year. Villagers would take torches from the town bonfire to light their home hearths and bond the community together.
Like in other cultures around the world, Samhain was thought to be a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and dead lifted, allowing socializing between the two. Offerings of food and drink were left on tables, and songs and dances were performed to entertain the spirits.
Early writings show that Samhain likely has roots in indigenous traditions that the Romans encountered, and that survived the attempt to Catholicicize it into a saint’s day.
These days, neopagans in the British Isles wear velvet cloaks and light fires in an attempt to honor the past. While I applaud their intent, they mostly just look silly.
Halloween derives most of its customs and timing from the holiday of Samhain (pronounced sow-en), which is in Irish Oíche Shamhna (pronounced ee-heh how-nah). In Gaelic cultures the festival took place around October 31, in our calendar, and was dedicated to the end of the harvest and to the dead. Traditions differed slightly throughout the region, but I focus here on Irish customs, because those are my people. (I like to think.)
In medieval times, a great gathering took place at the hill of Tara, ancient seat of the kings. Villages held huge feasts that brought people together in merriment, but it was also the time to begin storing food for the winter and slaughtering livestock. Many tales in Irish folklore begin at the Samhain feast, the hero starting out on his quest right after. Great bonfires were lit to mark the beginning of the dark half of the year. Villagers would take torches from the town bonfire to light their home hearths and bond the community together.
Like in other cultures around the world, Samhain was thought to be a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and dead lifted, allowing socializing between the two. Offerings of food and drink were left on tables, and songs and dances were performed to entertain the spirits.
Early writings show that Samhain likely has roots in indigenous traditions that the Romans encountered, and that survived the attempt to Catholicicize it into a saint’s day.
These days, neopagans in the British Isles wear velvet cloaks and light fires in an attempt to honor the past. While I applaud their intent, they mostly just look silly.
Instead, think of how lucky you are that you don’t have to hoard supplies for the winter, lament the loss of the cheerful hearth fire in our homes, then put on a crazy wig and go get drunk.
Slainte!
Slainte!
2 comments:
Let's build and burn a Wickerman.
We were just discussing the history of Halloween in relation to religion and why some modern religions are VERY anti-Halloween. So thanks for the reminder!
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