HALLOWEEN

MATTIA FORCIERI

HALLOWEEN

ETIMOLOGY OF TERM

THE NAME HALLOWEEN, DERIVES FROM THE CONTRACTED FORM OF ALL HALLOWS' EVE, WHERE HALLOW IS THE ARCHAIC ENGLISH WORD MEANING SAINTS, THEREFORE " THE EVE OF ALL SAINT ".PERHAPS NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION WAS NOT BORN IN AMERICA BUT HAS VERY ANCIENT ORIGINS TRACEABLE TO IRELAND, WHEN IT WAS DOMINATED BY THE CELTS. HALLOWEEN IN FACT CORRESPONDS TO SAMHAIN, THE CELTIC NEW YEAR.FOR THE CELTS, IN FACT, THE NEW YEAR DID NOT BEGINE ON JANUARY 1 ST AS FOR US TODAY, BUT ON NOVEMBER 1 ST, WHEN THE WARM SEASON OFFICIALLY ENDED AND THE SEASON OF DARKNESS AND COLD BEGAN, THE TIME IN WHICH PEOPLE LOCKED THEMSELVES IN THEIR HOMES FOR MANY MONTHS AND SPENDING THE EVENINGS TELLING STORIES AND LEGENDS.

THE TRADITIONWAS THEN EXPORTED TO THE USA BY EMIGRANTS, WHO, DRIVEN BY TERRIBLE FAMINE OF 19TH CENTURY, HEADED IN LARGE NUMBERS TO THE NEW LAND.DEATH WAS THE MAIN THEME OF THE FESTIVAL, IN HARMONY WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN NATURE: DURING THE WINTER SEASON LIFE SEEMS TO BE SILENT, WHILE IN REALITY IT IS RENEWED UNDERGROUND, WHERE TRADITIONALLY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE DEAD REST.

FROM HERE IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THE ASSOCIATION OF SAMHAIN WITH THE CULT OF THE DEAD. THE CELTS BELIEVED THAT ON THE EVE OF EACH NEW YEAR, THAT IS, OCTOBER 31, SAMHAIN CALLED TO ITSELF ALL THE SPIRIT OF THE DEAD, AND THAT FORCES OF THE SPIRITS COULD UNITE WITH THE WORLD OF THE LIVING. IN IRELAND, THE CUSTOM OF LIGHTING TORCHES AND FLARES OUTSIDE THE DOORS AND LEAVING FOOD AND MILK FOR THE SOUL OF THE DECEASED WHO WOULD VISIT THEIR RELATIVES.

YOUNG PEOPLE AND HALLOWEEN: TRICK OR THREAT ?

YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY EXALT THE TERRIFYING ASPECT OF HALLOWEEN, USING THE MASKS OF THE MOST POPULAR HORROR CHARACTERS. ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT, CHILDREN PLAY THE FAMOUS GAME OF " TRICK OR THREAT? ". DRESSED UP IN MONSTROUS MASKS AND COSTUMES, THEY GO FROM HOUSE ASKING FOR SWEETS OR SOME COINS. IN CELTIC IRELAND, THE CELEBRATION OF SAMHAIN WAS CHARACTERIZED BY TWO COLORS : ORANGE, TO REMEMBER THE HARVEST AND WITH IN THE END OF SUMMER, AND BLACK TO REPRESENT THE IMMINENT DARKNESS OF WINTER. THIS IS WHY THE TYPICAL COLORS ABUNDANTLY USED IN COSTUMES AND DECORATIONS.

THANKS FOR ATTENTION...MATTIA FORCIERI