By Elaine Voci, Ph.D.
In
October the popular “Halloween” takes place, and another, known as “All Saints
Day”, is, also, celebrated. Both relate
to those who are among the deceased and are remembered on those days, and both
earn the attention of celebrants throughout the world.
Of
course, it didn’t start out that way, the origins of the holiday are
humble. In fact, Halloween began in
Ireland, and largely belonged to pranksters, hence the famous call: “Trick or
Treat”. Instead of pumpkins as jack o’ lanterns, the Irish carved turnips. The celebrations crossed the ocean and
American pranksters played their version of tricks for about 30 years, costing
cities millions of dollars in damage. At
one point many American cities considered banning Halloween altogether, which
caused parents to came up with a new custom of costuming their children and
sending them door to door to ask for treats with a vague reference to “tricks”
if treats were not forthcoming.
Then
World War II took place and sugar was rationed, which meant sweets were
severely limited, or unavailable. Out of necessity, people created new and
inexpensive customs such as apple-bobbing and hosting modest Halloween parties
held at home; these became popular ways to mark the day.
The other
October event is All Saints’ Day which they say first began in a monastery in
France and quickly spread to Christians around Europe and European colonized
countries. Immigrants from Scotland and
Ireland brought the holiday to the U.S.
Today it is observed globally in certain faith practices; in U.S.
Christian churches it often occurs on the first Sunday after Pentecost in
remembrance of deceased members of church congregations. A candle is lit as each person’s name is
spoken, followed by a prayer for each soul.
In the U.S. the congregation might also organize a church supper that
evening featuring homemade comfort foods.
In Latino
communities, the autumn months of October and early November hold celebrations
that link All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day (November 2nd) with the
Day of the Dead (November 1st).
Symbols associated with these services include a sheaf of wheat, a
crown, colorfully dressed skeletal figures, and framed images of various saints
who tend to be shown wearing the color white for purity and piousness. Families
also gather at the cemetery to honor their dead in a spectacular and moving
ritual to behold.
Celebrants
enjoy taking part in both types of events in their communities. There is an overlap between the two occasions
because they both serve to connect the spiritual and the physical worlds. Symbols of Halloween include ghosts, goblins,
walking skeletons, black cats and images of witches on broomsticks flying
across the night sky. It is also
considered a political charged time to celebrate with masks and dance for those
who have fought for independence. These
occasions help mark the single night of the year in which spirits and the dead
can cross over into the world of the living. Foods served at October parties
can include toffee apples, caramel corn candy shaped like corn niblets, pumpkin
pies, cookies, breads and even beer!
Remembering the Dead around the World, Sonny Lawrence D. Alea
writes…
“Halloween is just one of many traditions that honor the dead.
Death is, of course, a reality of all living beings and human cultures around
the world typically ponder on this cycle of life through special observances
and traditions. The majority of these traditions focus on remembering lost
friends and family members and honoring them for the impact they made in the
lives of the living."
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a popular Mexican
tradition that celebrates the souls of the dead on November 1st. It is believed
that remembering the departed in sadness would upset the souls of loved ones,
so instead of mourning, the departed are celebrated with food, drink, music,
and dancing; making for a uniquely exuberant celebration of life and death. The
dead are celebrated and remembered with Oferendas, which are individual altars
and offerings of food.
Araw ng mga Patay, also translated to Day
of the Dead and held on November 1st, is a similar tradition in the Philippines
in which Filipinos take time to remember passed family and friends by visiting
their graves and praying for their souls. After cleaning the tomb of debris and
weeds, celebrations are often held around the grave site of the departed. The
dead are included in the celebrations with food offerings and prayers. Many
people spend entire days and nights near the burial place of their departed
loved-ones until the celebrations are over.
Mahalaya Amavasya (Pitru Paksha), is a tradition in India that
also celebrates the dead. The belief is held that the people of the present owe
a great deal to people of the past for providing them with the knowledge and
tools to continue the cycle of life. The living honor the departed with
offerings of food as a way to thank them for their contributions and continue
to celebrate through community festivals.
Chuseok or the Harvest Moon Festival, is a traditional holiday
celebrated in South Korea on 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.
Though the holiday mainly focuses the season of good harvest, traditional
practices include traveling back to ancestral hometowns and honoring family
ancestors. In preparation for the celebrations, the graves of the departed are
cleaned and decorated. A special breakfast and memorial service is also held to
commemorate the dead and thank family ancestors for their guidance.
Honor Your Ancestors
Indigenous peoples and cultures all over the world honor their
dead ancestors in one way or another. In fact, many indigenous cultures invoke
their ancestors daily through ritual. This is because without our ancestors,
none of us would exist at all! Our ancestors also hold great wisdom; they each
lived and learned before us, and we can call upon our ancestors to guide us
with that wisdom.
These types of celebrations are an important part of various – if not all – cultures, as it reminds us of our human connection to the natural cycle of life and death. In our daily life, it is easy to forget and even harder to accept that death is a natural part of life; scientific advances and efforts to contrast natural processes instill in us a fear of death.
On this week, take time to remember the friends and family who have died. Think about how much they have contributed to your life and remind yourself of their role in your life and the community. Celebrate our ancestors who have paved the way for us to be present where we are today, and honor them by being a positive force in your communities.” Honoring our Ancestors: The True Meaning of Halloween – by Sonny Lawrence D. Alea for Pachamama Alliance
Celebrants may incorporate ceremony and ritual, both serious and also
fun-loving to these important celebrations to remind us of our interconnectedness with life and death
and all those who came before us.
# # #
Celebrant Marie Masciovecchio is the Celebrant and artist who created our Celebrant troubadour. The troubadour was created with our code of ethics in mind. The troubadour character is gender, color and age free.
October 2017 Celebrant Troubadour
One Night When the Dead Cross Over to the World of the Living by Elaine Voci
Elaine Voci is a life coach in private practice in Carmel, IN and a graduate of the Celebrant Foundation & Institute . Elaine is the Editor of the Celebrant Blog for the Celebrant Foundation & Institute.
https://www.ebookit.com/tools/pd/Bo/eBookIt/booktitle-Soul-Sketches--How-to-Craft-Meaningful-and-Authentic-Eulogies.
https://www.ebookit.com/tools/pd/Bo/eBookIt/booktitle-Soul-Sketches--How-to-Craft-Meaningful-and-Authentic-Eulogies.
Life-Cycle Ceremonies: A Handbook for Your Whole Life
How do you commemorate momentous events? Memorialize people who have shaped you? Draw support from those you hold dear? This primer offers methods for honoring the special occasions in your life with humor and grace. Its ceremonies help ground each day in the wholeness that supports our entire lives. Each ceremony has been vetted by a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® affiliated with the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, which offers training and support for celebrants worldwide. Visit us at www.celebrantInstitute.org.
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