HALLOWE’EN FESTIVAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 412, 1 November 1930, Page 6

HALLOWE’EN FESTIVAL

A SCOTTISH TRADITION ORIGIN IN DRUID RITES The evergreen celebration of Hallowe’en, honoured by Scots and the descendants of {Scots the world over, was generally observed last evening, though in the case of Wanganui there was not special ceremony or’gathering, w However, it is likely that, with Batur- W day proving more convenient than 7 Friday, there will be more than one festival in this connection to-night, while parties will be held in many homes throughout the city and the country to mark the occasion in the traditionally joyful manner. It is the most typically Celtic of the Scottish, festivals, which no Scot imbued strongly with the national sentiment can let pass without proper rejoicing. Hallowe’en, or All Hallows Eve, is the name given to October 31 as the vigil of Hallowmas or All Saints’ Day. The festival has its origin in a preChristian era, dating, indeed, from tho Druid days in ancient Britain. It was about November 1 that the Druids used to hold their great autumn festival and lighted bonfires in honour of the Sungod in thanksgiving for the harvest. It was their belief that on the eve of this festival Sanian, lord of wealth, summoned the wicked souls that had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals. Evidence that these Druid ceremonies constitute the basis of the present Hallowe’en celebration is the fact that in later times tho lighting of bonfires was an essential part of the Hallowe’en observance and that the belief was prevalent that of all nights in the year this was the one during which ghosts and witches were most likely to wander abroad. Alorcover, October 31 was, and still is, known in certain parts of Ireland as Oidhche Shamhna (Vigil of Sa man). In Roman times other ceremonies, including features of the festival in honour of Pomona, held about November 1, were introduced into the Hallowe’en observances. In these, nuts and apples, representing the winter store offruits, played a prominent part. The custom of lighting Hallowe’en fires survived in the highlands of Scotland and Wales until recent years. The idea was to place as many small stones in the embers as there were persons present. When a search was made next morning any pebble that were displaced were believed to indicate that the person present would die within a year.