Celtic Origins of Samhain
Samhain was first observed by Celtic Pagans, who lived primarily in what is now Ireland around 2,000 years ago. It signified the Celtic New Year and the end of summer. During Samhain, Celts believed the veil between the living and the dead was especially thin, allowing spirits to visit the living. This festival is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, alongside Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasa.
Samhain Traditions and Practices
Historically, Samhain customs involved significant gatherings and feasts.
Bonfires
Bonfires were a prominent feature of Samhain celebrations, often lit on hilltops. These fires were believed to possess protective and cleansing powers, with smoke and ashes thought to offer similar benefits. In some practices, people would walk with their livestock between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual. Hearth fires were sometimes extinguished on Samhain night and then relit from a communal bonfire, symbolizing community bonding and banishing evil.
Spirits and the Dead
Samhain was considered a liminal time when the boundary between the human world and the Otherworld blurred, making interaction with spirits (aos sí) more likely. Offerings of food and drink were left outside to appease the aos sí, ensuring survival through winter. The souls of the deceased were also honored and believed to revisit their homes, with places set at dinner tables and by fires to welcome them.
Mumming and Guising
Mumming and guising, where people went door-to-door in costumes and disguises, were also part of Samhain traditions. These costumes may have been a way to imitate or protect oneself from the aos sí or the souls of the dead. Early forms of trick-or-treating may have originated from collecting food for Samhain feasts, fuel for bonfires, or offerings for the spirits. Jack-o'-lanterns, originally carved from turnips or mangel-wurzels with grotesque faces, were used for illumination by guisers or to ward off evil spirits.
Divination
Divination was a significant aspect of the festival, with rituals often performed to predict the future, particularly regarding death and marriage. Apples and hazelnuts, associated with the Otherworld, immortality, and divine wisdom in Celtic mythology, were frequently used in these rituals and games. Examples include apple bobbing and roasting hazelnuts to foretell relationships.
"Seasons of the Sun: Celebrations from the World's Spiritual Traditions "
Phi Kappa Phi Forum - https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA239169935&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=15385914&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=nysl_oweb&isGeoAuthType=true&aty=geo
https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-halloween
https://iso.mit.edu/americanisms/halloween-origins-and-current-traditions/
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