Inrecentyears,therehavebeenanumberofpamphletsputoutbyvariousChristianorganizationsdealingwiththeoriginsofmoderndayHalloweencustoms.BeingaWitchmyself,andastudentoftheancientCelts,fromwhomwegetthisholiday,Ihavefoundthesepamphletswoefullyinaccurateandpoorlyresearched.Inanefforttocorrectsomeofthiserroneousinformation,IhavespentseveralmonthsresearchingthereligiouslifeoftheancientCelticpeoplesandthesurvivalsofthatreligiouslifeinmoderndaytimes.ListedbelowaresomeofthemostcommonlyaskedquestionsconcerningtheoriginsandcustomsofHalloween.Followingthequestionsisalengthybibliographywherethecuriousreadercangotolearnmoreaboutthisholidaythanspaceinthissmallpamphletpermits.1.WheredoesHalloweencomefrom?OurmoderncelebrationofHalloweenisadescendentoftheancientCelticfirefestivalcalled'Samhain'.Thewordispronounced'sow-in',with'sow'rhymingwithcow.2.Whatdoes'Samhain'mean?TheIrishEnglishdictionarypublishedbytheIrishTextsSocietydefinesthewordasfollows:'Samhain,AllHallowtide,thefeastofthedeadinPaganandChristiantimes,signalizingthecloseofharvestandtheinitiationofthewinterseason,lastingtillMay,duringwhichtroops(esp.theFiann)werequartered.Faerieswereimaginedasparticularlyactiveatthisseason.Fromitthehalfyearisreckoned.alsocalledFeileMoingfinne(SnowGoddess).(1)TheScottishGaelisDictionarydefinesitas'Hallowtide.TheFeastofAllSoula.Sam+Fuin=endofsummer.'(2)Contrarytotheinformationpublishedbymanyorganizations,thereisnoarchaeologicalorliteraryevidencetoindicatethatSamhainwasadeity.TheCelticGodsofthedeadwereGwynnapNuddfortheBritish,andArawnfortheWelsh.TheIrishdidnothavea'lordofdeath'assuch.3.WhywastheendofsummerofsignificancetotheCelts?TheCeltswereapastoralpeopleasopposedtoanagriculturalpeople.Theendofsummerwassignificanttothembecauseitmeantthetimeofyearwhenthestructureoftheirliveschangedradically.Thecattlewerebroughtdownfromthesummerpasturesinthehillsandthepeopleweregatheredintothehousesforthelongwinternightsofstory-tellingandhandicrafts.4.Whatdoesithavetodowithafestivalofthedead?TheCeltsbelievedthatwhenpeopledied,theywenttoalandofeternalyouthandhappinesscalledTirnanOg.TheydidnothavetheconceptofheavenandhellthattheChristianchurchlaterbroughtintotheland.ThedeadweresometimesbelievedtobedwellingwiththeFairyFolk,wholivedinthenumerousmoundsorsidhe(pron.'shee')thatdottedtheIrishandScottishcountryside.SamhainwasthenewyeartotheCelts.IntheCelticbeliefsystem,turningpoints,suchasthetimebetweenonedayandthenext,themeetingofseaandshore,ortheturningofoneyearintothenextwereseenasmagickaltimes.Theturningoftheyearwasthemostpotentofthesetimes.Thiswasthetimewhenthe'veilbetweentheworlds'wasatitsthinnest,andthelivingcouldcommunicatewiththeirbeloveddeadinTirnanOg.5.Whatabouttheaspectsof'evil'thatweassociatewiththenighttoday?TheCeltsdidnothavedemonsanddevilsintheirbeliefsystem.Thefairies,however,wereoftenconsideredhostileanddangeroustohumansbecausetheywereseenasbeingresentfulofmentakingovertheirlands.Onthisnight,theywouldsometimestrickhumansintobecominglostinthefairymounds,wheretheywouldbetrappedforever.AfterthecomingoftheChristianstotheCelticlands,certainofthefolksawthefairiesasthoseangelswhohadsidedneitherwithGodorwithLuciferintheirdispute,andthus,werecondemnedtowalktheearthuntiljudgmentday.(3)Inadditiontothefairies,manyhumanswereabroadonthisnight,causingmischief.sincethisnightbelongedneithertooneyearortheother,Celticfolkbelieved...
