Samhain the Celtic traditional Halloween Celebration
Samhain the Celtic traditional Halloween celebration, at the end of October, in the Celtic calendar of the Wheel of the Year, we encounter the best known, remembered and important festival for the culture from which it originates: SAMHAIN, Gaelic expression that stands for the winter season and that in archaic Irish language is translated into the name of the month of November. Originally, this anniversary took its beginning from an ancient Celtic festival of paganism, from which the celebrations of Halloween and All Saints originated, indicating a common matrix with similar characteristics at the base of the same festivity.
Lettura in italiano – Lectura en español
Pagan festival of Gaelic origin and celebration of great emotional impact, it literally indicates the end of summer and is the most delicate moment of transition of the whole year: symbolically marks the passing of God, his death and the weeping and mourning of the Goddess, the God dies but the land has been fertilized,the seeds have been sown, and now it is up to the Goddess keep them alive for a future fruitful and abundant harvest; in the agricultural calendar, which is the basis of the Celtic culture, this represented the New Year, the moment of thanksgiving for the harvest obtained and preparation for the next to come.
It is time to collect all that is still found in nature, the last sweetest and succulent fruits, it is time to store and to secure the supplies for the long winter months: it is essential not to find ourselves alone and without supplies, this would place us in a state of great vulnerability, us and our community. It is a moment of deep reflection and meditation, the end of summer brings the end of the outdoor life, outdoor activities, the end of games in the sun and warm air, now people retire in their houses, a chill wind tears off the last leaves, and the season leads us to inner thoughts towards ourselves and towards others; it is now that the Pleiades, winter stars, rise in the sky, it is now that night prevails over day.
These times of interiority and of self-knowledge also lead to the remembrance of ancestors, of those who came before us and that are no more: therefore in past cultures was important to be remembered in these days, be celebrated at a time so essential it meant to have achieved a place of great value in the community, and to die in battle became then an honor. In this period the doorways between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead are open, the gap between the two worlds is so thin that for one night we meet and join, celebrating in the memory. Samhain is the opposite of Beltane, festival of light, the spring equinox, which marks the beginning of summer: everything here is an explosion of life, colors and joy, it is the encounter of the Goddess with the God, is the sacred fire that burns with passion. Samhain, however, has also its festive side, in ancient times it celebrated life in and after death, and there was nothing sad but banquets and celebrations were held to pay tribute to the idea that our end in this world is a start in the afterlife.
Fruit symbol of this time is the apple, winter product par excellence: if cut crosswise, a five-pointed star can be seen inside; hazelnuts also had a strong meaning, seen as the Spell craft they were harvested and stored for the winter. The fire, which in previous celebrations is vital and source of powerful energy, in this case becomes the unique flame of the bonfire, which will be taken by each clan and used for their homes.
There are many festivities and ceremonies taking place to celebrate Samhain, nowadays most easily identified with Halloween; but for those fond of the ancient Celtic culture, celebrations are held in the most faithful tradition: even in Italy there are appointments for this occasion, such as the Fires of Samhain, in Valled’Aosta, and the Halloween night in Riolo Terme, Ravenna.
