I
finally experienced Halloween in this land
of plenty and it made me curious so I started to look into its history. This
celebration dates back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic celebration where it
marked summer’s end and the beginning of the cold winter. The Celts believed
that October 31 was the night that the ghosts of the dead came back to earth—a night
where the world of the dead crossed over to the world of the living.
During the celebration of
Samhain, the Celts wore clothes made from skins and heads of animals.
When Christianity reached the
lands of the Celts, the pope of that time declared November 1 as All Saints Day—in
celebration of martyrs and saints. This day was called All-hallowmas (meaning
All Saints Day) and October 31 was called All-hallowmas Eve (the night of
Samhain) which became Halloween. Then November 2 was declared by the Christian
church as All Souls Day.
Halloween was brought to this
country by the early European settlers but it was during the arrival of Irish
immigrants during the potato famine that made it very popular.
To this day, people here in
the United States, continue to celebrate it—not only by those who are of
European ancestry but of other heritages also such as the Filipino American. I
watched as the young people dress up in their favorite storybook or comic
character. They usually have a basket (normally a plastic pumpkin pail) and
they go from house to house saying: trick or treat. More often than not, a
treat is usually given in the form of a candy or something edible. Sometimes,
tricks are played such as scaring the young folks away with the help of a
puppet ghost or witch. As for adults, Halloween is another reason to get
together, have a party while dressed up as Frankenstein, George W. Bush or even
as Madonna.
It's hard to generalize how
Filipino Americans observe All Saints Day and All Souls Day. For one, there is
a holiday in the United States called Memorial Day. This is the time that most
folks (Filipino American or not) trek to the cemeteries to visit their dead. Based
on my conversations with Filipino Americans, I can conclude that some of them
still trek to the cemeteries to visit loved ones who have passed on while some
of them just do not do this. This does not mean that they have forgotten their
beloved dead. It may mean that they go to the cemeteries on other occasions
such as the aforementioned holiday, birthdays or death anniversaries. Most of
them, however, have told me that what is important is that they go to mass
(usually on All Saints Day) and in this way they remember and pray for their
loved ones who have now departed this world.
Personally, I think it would
be great if more and more of them continue the practice of visiting the
cemeteries to honor the departed on either All Saints Day or All Souls Day. Wouldn't
it be great if this celebration that is very well celebrated in the
Philippines, is also observed in their newly adopted country? It makes so much
sense to do this - for the Filipino American to be visible in her new host
country and popularize this event that is so important to the Filipino people.
Just as the Irish immigrants were able to popularize Halloween, perhaps
Filipino immigrants will be able to popularize this event that is so widely
celebrated in the motherland. Wishful thinking, you say? Perhaps not, I'm just
being hopeful.
Comments
Post a Comment