Its Halloween on October 31st, and if you're Nigerian, you'll probably be wondering what the fuss is about?
I have never been a fan of Halloween. Especially with the hollywood horror movies set around it like The Amityville Horror. For me, it just seems to pass across a scary message. I particularly don't like the decorations and costumes like lighted pumpkin lanterns, scary grave-like decorations, skulls, graves, spooky webs etc.
Generally, i perceived the celebration to be negative, ugly and promoting the devil.. However, i never thought this celebration will affect my life, as back home where i come from,we don't celebrate Halloween..or so i thought, until i saw an advert on Facebook, advertising Abuja's Halloween FunFair & Picnic.
During the week, i had a discussion with my husband, and i said i was not going to allow any of my children to celebrate or partake in the Halloween.He however, challenged me to find out what it really is all about. Especially as i have a child and i know that he'll definitely begin to notice it soon, especially when he starts school.
From Wikipedia
The word Halloween or Hallowe'en dates to about 1745[26] and is of Christian origin.[27] The word "Halloween" means "hallowed evening" or "holy evening".[28] It comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows' Eve (the evening before All Hallows' Day).[29] In Scots, the word "eve" is even, and this is contracted to e'en or een. Over time, (All) Hallow(s) E(v)en evolved into Halloween. Although the phrase "All Hallows'" is found in Old English
It is note worthy that Today's Halloween costumes are thought to have been influenced by celtic-speaking countries. The Origin of Halloween have been linked to the Roman feast of of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain", which comes from the Old Irish for "summer's end".
Halloween's Influence
While searching the internet, i came across an article: Halloween and the Forces of Darkness. You can read it
here"Halloween has its origin in the British Isles about 1300 years ago. In those days, there were many men and women who practiced a so-called “nature religion” known as Wicca. (The word “Wicca” means “wise ones.” The word “witch” is derived from “Wicca.”) The witches worked their spells and magic as individuals or sometimes in groups of 13 known as Covens. Sometimes the witches and wizards worked as a triumvirate or power of three. The female Wiccan was known as a witch, and the male Wiccan was known as a wizard. The word “warlock” was not used by witches to identify themselves. It is actually a Scotch-Gaelic word that means “traitor.” Satanists use the word “warlock.”
The Wiccans were worshippers of the “Earth Mother”, the sun, the moon, and stars. Witches do not believe in Satan. The Wiccans or witches meet every Friday night at a gathering called an “esbat.” They draw a magic circle with a six-pointed star in it called a “hexagram”, from which we get the word “hex.” The coven of 13 stand “sky clad” or naked in the hexagram and work spells by chanting and doing rituals such as “drawing down the moon.” The full moon is sacred to witches, especially if it is on a Friday. It is considered to be even greater if the Friday is the 13th day of the month.
Eight times each year, the witches celebrated a sabat and the ritual work and spell casting was always done on the eve of the sabat. The sabats are Imbolc on February 2nd, the spring equinox on March 22nd, Beltaine on May 1st, the summer solstice on June 22nd, Lugnahsaid on July 31st, the fall equinox on September 22nd, Samhain on October 31st, and the winter solstice on December 22nd, which is also known as Yule. "
OK. So from what i gathered from the internet, i personally do not trust the origins of Halloween. I also do not like the way it is depicted in the society today.
Personally (as PSquare sang), the celebration does not appeal to my sight. I mean, why do majority of people have to dress ugly and scary. Why do they have to paint their faces and look like ghosts etc.
Why does Halloween have to be celebrated with Witched, graves, cemetery and the likes?
As for me and my family...#IPLEDGENOTTOCELEBRATEHALLOWEEN.
Rather on Halloween, i would dress them up as angels, in white with beautiful makeup, and have a fun-filled family treat, something nice and entertaining.
I know a lot of folks are not going to agree with me on this. Seriously, this is my stand. What's yours on Halloween?
