Origins of Samhain
by Mersades Joe
by Mersades Joe
We all are familiar with the beloved holiday of Halloween. However few know where the traditions we practice today originated from, or how they were originally practiced. It started with the Celtic Pagan Sabbat (holiday) of Samhain, pronounced SAH-win, that was celebrated as far back as 2000 years ago. Though today we celebrate Halloween on October 31st, this is actually the eve before the traditional Samhain celebration on November 1st. Festivities began at night on October 31st and were continued onto the following day.
Many believe that Samhain is a celebration of the Celtic God of the Dead. This is untrue, examining the word Samhain coming from the Gaelic term samain, “sam” meaning summer and “fuin” meaning end, literally translating to 'summer's end'. This explains the foundation of the traditional festivities they practiced, many of them nodding at cleaning out the old and beginning with the new. Fitting, as Samhain is also considered the “Witches New Year” and is the third and final harvest of the year.
Evening festivities kicked off with large community bonfires at sunset. These were the center of the celebrations, used for animal and crop sacrifices to the Celtic deities giving them their share and thanks for the year's harvest. Any crops left in the ground on Samhain were considered taboo and were left as offerings to the nature spirits. Costumes were worn as they danced around the bonfire and told stories. The costumes themselves had multiple meanings behind them. Some wore them to honor the dead rising from the 'otherworld' and, in other instances, the souls of those trapped in animals being set free to be sent into their new incarnations. Costumes were also used to conceal oneself from feared spirits that may have lingered to cause mischief, destroy crops, hide livestock, or haunt those still living that have done them wrong. Finally, some costumes were used to give thanks to the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of the harvest, fields, and flocks. They were thanked for giving their help during the previous year, as well as asked for help and well wishes for the upcoming year and long winter months ahead.
When the community celebration was over, each family took torches of fire from the Sacred Bonfire to re-light their hearths for protection during the upcoming winter. These were then kept burning night and day through the winter months. If they burned out or were extinguished, it was said that tragedy, troubles, or loss were soon to follow. After home fires were lit the families would then leave food, drinks, and other offerings outside of their doors and on altars to appease spirits who may play tricks and for other “wandering dead”. This was referred to “The Feast of the Dead”. They would also set candles in their windowsills to guide spirits of deceased loved ones and ancestors home. Apples were buried along roadsides for spirits that didn’t have any descendants to provide for them. Those that wanted to protect their homes hollowed out and carved turnips to look like protective spirits and placed candles in them. This is believed to have evolved into the Halloween tradition of Jack O’ Lanterns.
Traditionally and still present today, October 31st is said to be one of two “Spirit Nights” of the year, when the veil between our physical world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. Some have even said that it is a magical interval when the laws of time and space are temporarily suspended. This made it a popular time for Druid Priest and Celtic Shamans to tell fortunes and prophecies through various methods including throwing bones, psychic readings, as well as casting Celtic Ogham. Writings recorded by Roman Invaders state that readings of tea leaves, rocks, and twigs were used. There was also evidence of Tarot reading beginning to form.
How Samhain Became Halloween
It is widely accepted today that Pope Boniface IV was replacing the Pagan festivals of Samhain with Christian imagery, as the new religion spread vastly across Europe. This momentum continued into 1000 CE, when the Church declared November 2nd “All Souls’ Day” to honor those who had passed. It was celebrated much like the traditional Samhain, borrowing bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes, such as devils, saints, and angels. With this addition, now three days in sum, All Hallows’, All Saints’, and All Souls’ Day came to be recognized as Hallowmas.
With new holidays came new traditions. “Trick-or-Treating” is thought to have come from the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. The poor would beg for food and would then be given “soul cakes” in exchange for praying for the family's deceased relatives. This was also encouraged by the church, pulling away from the Pagan tradition of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. However, “Going-A-Souling” was eventually picked up by children. They would dress up as spirits or ghosts, visit houses in their neighborhoods, and be given ale, food, or money. Like the Celtic costumes from centuries before, they were used to avoid being recognized by foul spirits when they left their homes after dark.
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When Europeans came to America they brought with them their traditions. Anglo-saxon immigrants settled more often in southern colonies, but also Maryland, where these traditions took root more quickly. As people from other European nations crossed the pond, traditions began to blend giving way to the American version of Halloween we know today. By the middle of the 19th century, annual autumnal fests and parties that included ghost stories, dancing, singing, and fortune telling were fast common. Although, Halloween was still not celebrated everywhere in the country.
By the second half of the 19th century, with millions of Irish fleeing from the Potato Famine of 1846, America entered a new era of spiritualism. With the Irish came a surge of Celtic, Pagan, and Gypsy traditions. The Golden Age was upon the country and metaphysical groups and clubs began to pop up with the revived infusion of Irish and English influences. This is when the “Trick-or-Treating” tradition really took off along with many other mystical practices. The new ways of thinking were widely accepted. So much so that practices like young women using tricks with yarn, apple paring, and mirror scrying, to summon names or images of their future husband for example, became common.
Americans made a more family-focused Halloween movement in the late 1800’s, removing the frightening and superstitious aspects of the holiday, and focusing more on playful costumes, food, and games. By the 20th century, the frightfulness of ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft had been mitigated into fall-themed community parties and neighborly get-togethers.
During the 20’s and 30’s, the holiday saw a rise in vandalism that targeted parades and community parties. By the 50’s, community leaders had great success in allowing Halloween to be a holiday focused on the young, due to the high number of children from the baby boom. The practice of trick-or-treating resumed, as it was an easy and inexpensive way for the community to celebrate. Vandalism and other 'tricks' they previously had problems with, were thought to be prevented by providing neighborhood kids with treats and candy. By the 90’s, Halloween became one of the largest commercial holidays with roughly $6.9 billion spent annually on costumes, decorations, and pumpkins.
Samhain Today, Traditions and Revivalism
To Pagans and Witches the world over, November 1st still marks the beginning of the New Year and Samhain, the Festival of the Dead, is regarded as the most important Sabbat of the year. The Feast of the Dead is a major part of most Pagan celebrations, as well as the neopagan Cakes and Ale on Hallow's Eve. Voluntary communications from those who have passed are of no surprise and are, oftentimes, hoped for, though the departed should never be harassed or commanded to be present. Besides these particular practices, there are many other symbols, colors, animals, and superstitions that are associated with Samhain and Halloween alike.
The most often recognized colors are orange and black. Black has long been used by Pagans to represent darkness after the death of the God (represented by fire and sun) during an earlier Sabbat known as Lughnasadh and the waning of light during the day as Summer comes to an end. Orange represents the awaiting dawn during Yule (December 21st to January 1st) when the God is reborn. The color black is also used for things such as banishing negative energy, scrying, protection, repelling black magic, and grounding. While orange is used to represent fire, communication, messages, travel, general success, and drawing good things. All of these prove useful in Samhain activities.
Jack-O-Lanterns are of course a staple of the season. This tradition has some debate, but most believe the custom derives from Pagans lighting candles for the dead as they walked the Earth on Samhain Eve. These candles were often placed inside hollowed gourds to light the way. The Irish and Scottish carved faces into the turnips or potatoes they used, to scare away evil spirits. In England they did the same with large beets. When Europeans came to America, they adopted the pumpkin, a native fruit, to be the perfect Jack-O-Lantern.
Some of the most well-known representations of Samhain have lesser known stories behind them. During the Samhain season there are superstitions that some still believe in, while others write them off as “old wives' tales”. One of these, is that animals such as black cats and birds are a sign of misfortune. Whether you believe or not, these still have a cultural aspect, leading some to think twice when a black cat crosses their path. Black cats in particular have a history of being bad luck because of their connection with women who were accused of witchcraft. These pet cats were said to be their familiars or demonic animals that had been given to them by the devil. Some even said it was the Devil himself, socializing with witches.
Along with cats, other animals like spiders, bats, and owls have superstitions related to Samhain as well. Owls that fly down on this spiritual night are said to be eating souls of the dead, while those that hoot signal that death is coming. If you see one circling the skies during the day, bad news is to come to someone nearby. If bats come out early and fly around on Samhain, it is a sign that good weather is coming. These fuzzy winged creatures, much like black cats, have been told to be messengers between witches and the devil in rural Scotland and Northern England.
Other superstitions relate more towards divination, fortunes, luck, and love. In parts of England it was believed that if a maiden carried a lantern to a well on Samhain night and held the light above the water, she would see the reflection of future husband. If attending a Halloween party, the first maiden to retrieve an apple while bobbing will be the first to marry. However, for those that need the help of more complex divination, Samhain is considered the most effective night to practice Tarot, Scrying, Pendulum reading, and other forms of divination. With the veil between the worlds so thin, the doors open up with answers you may have not known you even wanted!
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