Author: By Aldrin F. T.
Photo by: Dwane A.
Somewhere in some part of the world, from solitaries to families to whole communities celebrate some form of ‘day of the dead’ and/or ‘harvest time’ on a time close to the first week of November: the better known Halloween, Hallowmas, the German Martinmas, the Anglo-Norse revival of Winter Nights, the Christian All Saints, All Souls, Día de los Muertos, Undas, Dziady; and the list goes on. Whichever you want to call it, this mixed celebration of “spooks and sweets,” “reverence and frolic” certainly needs some major planning to do. A few weeks; even months, perhaps?
Death: Graves, Mounds, Tombstones, and Altars
Honouring one’s ancestors and deceased loved ones has always been a focal point for almost all celebrations centring on November 1st. And there are some obvious reasons why this place on the Wheel of the Year is associated with death and the deceased: The sun is approaching its nadir, the leaves are falling from trees, the once warm breath of the earth is slowly turning into a cold winter’s chill; the death and decay in the natural world remind us of our own mortality and of those who had gone.
• Start visiting your deceased loved ones if you can. If you happen to live in your probinsya, I suppose there is no excuse not to visit your ancestral graves as well. Cleaning the tombs (or nitsò), a widely practiced custom, could also be done a few weeks before November 1st. What about volunteering? This certainly would make things “cramming-free” for your family when you visit the cemetery on the day of All Hallows itself. You get pogi points for that too!
• Those from the cities most of the time find time to return to their home provinces a day or two before October 31st. So why don't you book a ticket as early as now? Prices are probably cheaper.
• If you don’t have an altar devoted to your ancestors and departed loved ones, then it would be nice to start making one as early as mid-September or early October. A simple table at some special part of the house (or your room) will do as long as you hallow it with the right emotions.
Start cleaning that special spot, buy or build that small table (or some ‘altar-suitable’ structure), collect old pictures, gather inherited heirlooms (or borrow them), etc.
• Some people have “ancestral stones” or “god-posts” erected on their house altars instead of photos; perfect indeed for those ancestors who had lived long before the advent of modern photography.
To make an ancestral stone (or stave) simply “hallow” a rock (or piece of wood) in whatever way you see fit. All you really need is sincere reverence and the right sentiments to truly dedicate something for worship. Take time to reflect on it, no need to rush. You still have a month and a few weeks anyway. Altar adornments are traditionally either black or white (depending on which colour you associate with death). Filipinos tend to use both interchangeably.
Candles
Candles are no doubt an inseparable part of All Hallows. Little gifts from the element of fire… can you imagine a Halloween without candles? However not all candles are made equal. According to Debra Lynn Dadd's e-zine: “…many candles produce combustion by-products that can cause damage to both health and home.” And she’s right!
• Buying beeswax candles instead of the usual paraffin is indeed an ecological and health plus. They are all made with natural, renewable waxes that burn clean and have cotton wicks with no harmful additives in contrast with the metallic cored paraffin. Australian tests show that the candles can cause lead poisoning, emitting 500 to 1000 micrograms of lead per hour into the air when burned. “People should look out for a silvery or dark metallic core in the fabric of the wick, or silvery droplets at the wick tip or in the melted wax when the candle is lit,” says Mr. Leverton.
• Try buying candles a month before November. Tapers, votives, pillars, or what have you, they are relatively cheaper and probably of better quality as like other pre-prepared seasonal merchandise.
Traditional colours are white, purple, yellow, and even blue. You can reserve a special black taper for your altar if you wish.
• In storing the candles, what about keeping them in a cool dry place before use? Some people even store their candles in the refrigerator for a month or so, as they are known to last longer if kept cold before use (remember we want the candles to last through the whole night). Just keep in mind to separate them from the food.
• For candles intended for the dead, you could also inscribe some special words or prayers. This entirely depends on your tradition and/or individual religious expression. Just constantly remind yourself of reverence over “kewlness,” so no playing!
Getting attuned with the season: House decorations etc.
For many cultures in the Northern Hemisphere, the end of October and the beginning of November signifies the final harvest for the year – a time when the fields are as if they were painted gold by the Gods and the bounty of sustenance as if overflowing from their subterranean granaries. And even in this industrial age of hasty agriculture, this still holds true among most of Europe and North America. Luckily, it somehow makes sense here as well. And the palayans here are no less golden as that of, oh let’s say, Ireland!
• Whether you’re an eager globalisation supporter or a die-hard aboriginal loyalist, delicately carved Jack-O'-Lanterns are indeed a sight, admit it! Fortunately, you can buy the commonly known Halloween decorations as early as the mid-September. Or you can make them yourself! How about a watermelon or an apple, or perhaps a turnip (as in Ireland)? There are a lot of crops in season to substitute the traditional pumpkin.
For a more local touch: try decorating your home with dried palay bundles, dried twigs and branches, or fruits in season.
• If you live somewhere in the rural agrarian areas, you could take time to watch how the harvested fields are lit afire. Take time to appreciate and reflect on how the gold-painted fields are consumed by fire and death as they are prepared for the coming cold season. This custom (and agricultural necessity as it seems) is done to signal the end of the harvest season, and the time for the land’s ‘slumber’. Pyromaniacs should definitely watch out for this!
Halloween / Samhain Parties
These days, the Halloween fever has indeed added a festive mood to the cool October air, writes Terrie Fucanan. Evenings are more exciting; bars livelier with upbeat shows. And little tykes do look adorable in their ghoulish garbs! But planning a great party for the spookiest night of the year doesn’t have to be a nightmare!
Steps to guide your party (from Kraftfoods.com):
• Pick a Theme: Setting a theme for a party always helps to set the stage. Try a traditional Halloween idea, like a Costume Party, a Jack-O-Lantern Party, or a Scary Movie Party - or throw caution to the wind and try something totally wild and cool. [A Samhain Party might as well be appropriate albeit with more candles and less candy, huh?]
• Set a date, time, and place: Once you've decided on a theme, it's time to set the date, time and place for your Halloween party. If the number of guests you've decided to invite is large - consider having your party in an alternative location, such as a garage, [a local park or clearing, or even a rented establishment or area.]
• Make a guest list and do your invitations: Make your list ahead of time - that way you'll be sure not to forget anyone! If you're going to mail your invitations, be sure to post them well enough in advance to give them time to be delivered. Phoning or emailing are also great ways to send invitations. Be sure to include an RSVP and phone number or email address so your guests are reminded to respond to your invitation.
• Choose Food and Drinks:
Here are some useful Rules of Thumb for the menu:
Keep It Simple - Select a few tried-and-true recipes, prepare them well and have fun at your own party!
Think Seasonally - Fruits and vegetables that are in season cost less and taste better.
Special Needs - If your guest list includes people with food allergies, vegetarians, diabetics or cardiac patients, they will appreciate appropriate meal choices that don't call attention to their special needs.
Do It Ahead - The more you prepare ahead of time, the easier it will be on the day of your party. Prepare food ahead of time, maybe a day before. And don't forget to get paper plates, cups, napkins and utensils!
Make it a family affair - kids of all ages love to be involved in party preparations! [Oldies are not exempt.]
• Plan Games and Activities: Put a grim--er, grin -- on their faces with fun party games and activities. [“Halloweenise” a few traditional games, or make new ones!]
• Plan your decorations: Halloween parties can range from simple to sublime; from setting the atmosphere with coloured lights to creepy black bouquets.
• Plan your costumes: Around Halloween it's easy to find costumes for sale in a variety of places. If you want something extra special, you might want to consider renting a costume for the evening. However, some of the very best costumes can be put together with items you have in your own closets, and there are a ton of online resources that will help get those creative juices flowing.
Whether you intend to have a simple or grandiose Halloween celebration, careful planning plus a right amount of preparation are the key ingredients for a successful treat.
About the Author: Born under very weird stars from a line of weirdly-combined genes, ALDRIN grew up a hybrid of many worlds. And though very "Paganish"… he chooses to remain Catholic: ever-faithful to the Roman Christian Rite that was, is, and ever-will-be a part of his heritage, an inescapable force in his life and who he is. But that doesn't hinder him from re-embracing his much older heritage: that of the older world of older ways and beliefs that is too deeply rooted in his being to ever be fully lost or forgotten; that once awakened could not be appeased and could not be ignored. His interests encompass a wide array of selection from the mundane to the scholarly.
© 2006 Manggagaway E-magazine. Articles may be distributed freely on the condition that all accreditation is acknowledged, no part is altered and this notice is attached and the website: http://manggagaway-central.blogspot.com is included. ~ Thank you
Throughout the history of paganism divination is, I guess, one of the customs that has been well preserved among pagan traditions of countless generations. While civilization pushed ancient legacy to its demise, the belief of humankind in the idea of predicting future events is the main reason why humans instinctively revived the ancient ways of divination.
