Fall is here and Halloween is fast approaching. Tonight ROX-TV kicks off the season with a little history.
Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. We are fast approaching my favorite time of year outside of St. Patrick’s Day. I’m a Michigan native and I believe that I am not alone when I say the best time of year in our Great Lakes state is now. That’s right, fall is upon us. The time of year when the skies fade to grey, the wind sends a shiver down your spine, and the trees change colors for the last time. The season conjures up images of carved pumpkins on porches, candy apples, and the smell of bon fires. It won’t be long before Samhain is upon us.
Samhain
Samhain is an ancient Gaelic Festival marking the end of the harvest season. The festival was historically linked to the Irish and Scottish, with what is believed to have Celtic Pagan origins. In Ireland, there are ancient tombs which are aligned with the sunrise times of Samhain. The time can be traced back to 9th century writings of some of the earliest Irish Literature.
Those early writings about Samhain talk about large feasts and gatherings happening, along with the ancient burial tombs being opened. These mounds were seen as gateways to the underworld and large fires are associated with the celebrations. The livestock were brought down from pastures and slaughtered. The bonfires were believed to have cleansing and protective powers. Samhain was reported to be a festival where the lines between the living and dead became very narrow. With this thinning of time, it was believed that spirits and fairies could cross over into our world of the living rather easily.
During Samhain, these entities were offered food and drink to appease them, so that the people could survive the winter months. The early Irish and Scots also believed that their deceased family members could revisit their homes, so a place at the dinner table was set for them. During the early times of the modern recorded era, it was said that people and children would go door to door in disguises or costumes, reciting versus for food.
In the 9th Century, the Catholic Church declared November 1st as “All Saint’s Day” and November 2nd as “All Soul’s Day”. Over time, these dates influenced Samhain, causing them to slowly transform each other into America’s modern Halloween.
Wiccans celebrate a variation of Samhain each year and has been said to be one of their most important times during the “Wheel of the year”. Wiccans generally believe that Samhain is a time to celebrate and honor deceased family, friends, pets, elders of their faith, and ancestors long passed. In some Wiccan rituals, the dead are invited to the festivities. The Wiccans believe the boundary between the living and dead is the closest during Samhain, making communication with the dead much easier.
Modern Halloween
The word “Halloween” can be dated to around the mid 1700’s and is said to be Christian in origin. November 1st was declared “All Hallows Day” or “All Saint’s Day” (Hallowmas) and eventually October 31st was coined “All Hallows Eve”. Included with “All Souls Day” on November 2nd, these three days together were known as “Allhallowtide”.
It is believed that modern day trick-or-treating developed from these days of holy obligation, where bells were rung for the souls trapped in purgatory, the town criers would walk in the streets dressed in black, ringing a hand bell, and asking that the souls be remembered. The baking and sharing of “soul cakes” which dates back to at least the 15th century, has been partially credited with the modern day idea of trick or treating. During the time of “Allhallowtide” groups of adults and children would go door to door collecting soul cakes in exchange for praying for the deceased. Soul cakes were often marked with a cross and considered Alms (Alms: money, food, or material given to the poor in the name of charity and virtue).
Costumes may have been a way of people disguising themselves, when the dead walked the earth and were given one last chance to wreak vengeance on their enemies during “All Hallows Eve” (Suggested by Christian minister Prince Sorie Conteh). To avoid payback from the dead, people used to disguises to avoid detection. In the middle ages, Churches that didn’t have enough money to house “relics” of the martyred saints, would allow their parishioners to dress up as saints during “Allhallowtide”. There are scholars who believe these things were done to “Christianize” the Pagan holidays.
While out “souling”, people would often carry hollowed out turnips as lanterns. I guess you can see where the groundwork was laid out for the modern day Jack-O-Lantern. During Halloween in medieval Europe, the fires were seen as a beacon for the dead to find their homes and also a way to deflect evil spirits. It was common in England, Ireland, and parts of Europe to light candles in every room to guide their ancestors back to their earthly homes.
Halloween in America
Halloween was not widely celebrated in America, until the massive influx of immigrants from Ireland and Scotland during the late 18th and early 19th century. Halloween (Samhain) was confined to immigrant communities until the mid 19th century, before gradually becoming a mainstream holiday celebrated from coast to coast by all races, social structures, and religious backgrounds. In Ireland and Scotland, turnips were carved, but in North America the native pumpkin was used because it was larger and easier to carve. Carving pumpkins in America is said to be dated back to 1837 but was not specifically associated with Halloween until the mid to late 19th century. The modern images of Halloween come from many sources.
It is said that haunted house attractions first started popping up in the 1930’s in America. California was said to have been a place where the practice began to spread in the 1950’s. The San Mateo haunted house opened in 1957 and the San Bernardino Assistance League opened one in 1958. In 1964 the San Manteo haunted house opened up and also another one at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis. In 1969 Disney opened up the Haunted Mansion (one of my favorites attractions at Disney) and Knotts Berry Farm opened up “Knotts Scary Farm” in 1973.
Michigan Connection
Now that we are in the season of fall, with Samhain and Halloween upon us, I think it is a good time to reflect on the holiday and the impact it has had on modern culture and horror movies. Coming from Michigan it can be said that Halloween and imagery/folklore has bled into the local music, going back to the late eighties and early nineties. No one can forget the Insane Clown Posse’s contribution to the holiday music and season, and I suggest anyone hasn’t delved into the topic, do so at their earliest convenience. The Hallowicked series is engrained in the culture of Detroit rap music and has been celebrated since the 1990’s.
Perhaps it is the season’s change in Michigan or the massive influx of Irish immigrants who settled in Detroit due to the great potato famine, whatever the reason, Halloween seems to be heavily celebrated in our state culture and indie music scene. In the coming month leading up to Halloween, ROX-TV will be sampling and talking about some of our favorite Halloween tracks and the artists who put them down.
I will also be running a series on Halloween Masks (which I collect and keep displayed year round in my home) so keep your eyes peeled for that. Although the spirit of Halloween may have originated in part due to the Irish and Scots, I believe that its one night a year we can all celebrate, no matter where your from or your culture. Much like the idea that everyone “is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day” or at least in the bars and pool halls.
I understand that history can be a tricky subject and somewhat polarizing depending on the source and view point, so I don’t much care to go there. I merely give dates and locations, which help people understand some of the basics. I’m not a Wiccan so I’m sure if you wanted to know more about them or their sacred holidays, it might be better to find one and ask. I don’t claim to be an expert in much of anything except having a good time and take most of my sourcing from public sources (since I was born in 1980 and everything before then is second hand information to me). I welcome anyone to celebrate this fall season regardless of your background. We are all humans, living on a ball of dirt in space, so if you step back far enough, you will find that we all come from the same place. Some people might not like that view, because then division is harder to sell, but it’s true. We all live on earth together. We should be able to find common ground together, respecting other’s cultures, but being able to celebrate our uniqueness. Please keep coming back for Halloween related material over the next month or so, or just swing by to chill. Our door is open to everyone.
Signing Off,
Mike Shepard
ROX-TV Head Writer
kidvicioius810 on IG
