Death and Dying Research Paper free essay sample

Every year the seasons change. Every year October comes and goes. Beginning with the Celt’s celebrating the end of the year with past spirits, the Romans celebrating the goddess of orchards, Pomona, to the Christians celebrating Saints day, Halloween is a diverse deathly day. All Hallows Eve, The Vigil of Samhain, and Feast of Pomona are the ancient names for the calendar day of October 31st, the day currently known as Halloween throughout most of the world. Whether a person practices religion or not, Halloween exists in some form; furthermore, it may be loved or may be feared either way Halloween has occurred for centuries and it will continue to occur throughout societies around the world. I. History a. Celts i. Festival of Samhain 1. Samhain – (Sow-win) Celtic word for â€Å"summers end† a. Thought to be the day that dead deceased souls return to Earth. b. Celtic priests were known as Druids. They had magical powers. Druids would build fires during the harvest to sacrifice crops and animals in return for the Druids predicting the future. . Celts believed that when the dead walked the Earth one time a year they were choosing who dies that year. b. Romans i. Romans invaded the Celts, and ruled them for 400 years. ii. Pomona c. Christians i. All Hallows Eve/All Saint’s Day II. Traditions a. Graveyards i. Ghosts were thought to have danced in the graveyards on Halloween. If a person encountered a ghost it was a warning that death was coming. b. Black and Orange i. Black means night/evil ii. Orange means end of harvest c. Costumes i. To blend in with the walking spirits, people dressed in costumes. d. Parties i. Bonfires 1. Were believed to chase away the spirits. ii. Harvest parties 1. Cooking the food of the end of the harvest season to commence the beginning of winter. e. Trick – or – Treating i. Door to Door asking for food. England- children dressed in costumes and went door-to-door asking for cakes. 1. If no cake or treat were giving, children would play a trick on the homeowner. f. Jack-o-Lanterns i. Ireland – Protection from Evil Spirits 1. Irish man named Jack played tricks on the devil. When Jack died the heavens didn’t want, and the hell didn’t want, so he is said to wonder the earth holding a lantern to light his way. Original carved jack-o-lantern was a turnip. (Halloween – Dana Meachen Rau) g. Witches i. Not always evil. Grew into evil. People began thinking that witches were causing disease and death. Also were thought to worship the devil. h. Black Cats i. Celts believed evil spirits returned in the form of black cats. (Halloween – Dana Meachen Rau) ii. Witches turned into black cats. (Halloween – Dana Meachen Rau) III. Day of the Dead a. Mexican Holiday IV. Halloween a. The Now i. Witches are no longer persecuted, as they were 100s of years ago. Wicca is now a recognized religion and practiced throughout the world, yet still feared as devil worship. ii. Commercialized Holiday – Products being sold, No one really knows the meaning behind Halloween; most children think Halloween is just a time for dressing up in costume and collecting candy. There are much less family farming, therefore, there is no need to have an end of harvest festival. iii. Adult Festivals 1. Halloween Horror Nights iv. Trick-or-Treating Now 1. Parents taking children to other neighborhoods 2. Having to check candy for poison Conclusion: Today’s Halloween is not that much different than Halloweens of past, the Festival of Samhain, the Festival of Pamona, and All Hallows Eve. People still fear the meaning of Halloween its symbols and traditions. Black cats are still thought to be evil. Witches are still thought to be devil worshipers; however, they are no longer burned at the stake. There is still trick-or-treating, carving of jack-o-lanterns, bonfires, and parties. Halloween has become more commercialized than traditionally celebrating the end of harvest, predictions of next year’s harvest with an unpredictable winter, and honoring the souls of the dead. Vocabulary Words: . Spirits an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms (Merriam-Webster) 2. Graveyard – Cemetery – A burial ground. (Merriam-Webster) Every year the seasons change. Every year October comes and goes. Beginning with the Celt’s celebrating the end of the year with past spirits (Merriam-Web ster), the Romans celebrating the goddess of orchards, Pomona, to the Christians celebrating Saints day, Halloween is a diverse deathly day. All Hallow’s Eve, The Vigil of Samhain, and Feast of Pomona are the ancient names for the calendar day of October 31st, the day currently known as Halloween throughout most of the world. Whether a person practices religion or not, Halloween exists in some form; furthermore, it may be loved or may be feared either way Halloween has occurred for centuries and it will continue to occur throughout societies around the world. The Celts are a medieval tribal society. The end of the harvest season for the Celts was October 31st. This was the time of the year where the crops were harvested, the livestock were herded in for the winter, and the sun disappeared. Celtic priests were known as Druids. The Druids were believed to be able to predict the future; moreover, it was extremely important to have the future months predicted, for many Celts would not make through the winter months. It was believed that the dead would walk amongst the living on the Eve of October 31st, and the Druids would communicate with the dead through celebration. The Druids would build enormous bonfires and sacrifice crops and animals. They would wear exuberant costumes made of animal parts and dance around the bonfires communicating with the spirits (an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms (Merriam-Webster). This was known as the Festival of Samhain. Samhain is the Celtic word for the â€Å"end of summer† (History. com) (The True History of Halloween) There is a folklore that Samhain was the God of Death, and that he fought with the God of the Sun and won; furthermore, imprisoning the sun for the â€Å"winter†. This theory has never been confirmed. According to religions. com this is just a Pagan scary tale to tell during Halloween. â€Å"The Feast of Samhain was a fearsome night, a dreaded night, a night in which great bonfires were lit to Samana the Lord of Death, the dark Aryan god who was known as the Grim Reaper, the leader of the ancestral Ghosts. Johanna Michaelsen. During the reign of Julius Caesar, the Romans invaded and conquered the Celts. For 400 years, the Romans ruled the Celts. The Goddess Pomona is the goddess of fruit and seeds. She was believed to watch over the crops during the harvesting months. The Romans celebrated her during the end of the harvest s eason between October 31st and November 1st; therefore, combining the Roman Festival of Pomona with the Celt Festival of Samhain making one large festival. The Christians put a spin on October 31st as All Hallows Eve. Candles are lit at the gravestones of the deceased. The following day is All Saint’s Day. It is believed that there is a certain bond between souls in heaven, purgatory, and the living. All Souls or Saints day is a day to celebrate and interact with the bond of the living and the deceased. All three celebrations, The Festival of Samhain, The Festival of Pomona, and All Hallows Eve are in current times combined as Halloween. During a potato famine in the 19th century, droves of Irish came to the Americas. Before this the ritual of Halloween was not celebrated in America. Along with the Irish came Irish cultures. America caught on quickly and by the early 20th century Halloween became a tradition in America. Many of the ancient traditions were practiced in the Americas. There are numerous traditions and images that symbolize Halloween: Graveyards, black and orange, costumes, parties, trick-or-treating, jack-o-lanterns, witches, and black cats are just few of the many images associated with Halloween. Graveyards (burial grounds- Merriam-Webster) are traditionally believed to be where the spirits of the deceased danced on Halloween. It was believed that if one encountered a spirit in the graveyard death was soon to follow. The colors associated with Halloween are black and orange. Black is a sign of death, and orange is the sign for harvest. Black and orange are still the colors associated and used to celebrate Halloween currently. Black cats are thought to be evil spirits or witches that have transformed. People still have superstitions related with black cats; however, the so-called curse of the black cat doesn’t stand if one has a black cat. Witches were not always thought to be evil. This suspicion grew when people started suspecting witches were causing disease and death, while worshiping the devil. There were even witch trials persecuting suspected witches, and finding them guilty without evidence but one person’s suspicion. People found guilt of witchcraft were burned alive. Witchcraft or Wicca is now a respected religion; practicing wiccans worship nature not the devil. Even though, Wiccan is a respected religion, it is still taboo in many cultures; therefore, a practicing â€Å"witch† may never reveal to the world that he or she is. Portraying a witch is a popular Halloween costume currently. Costumes were worn to blend in with the wondering spirits, so they couldn’t differentiate and haunt the living. Costumes are now just as extravagant and used to go trick-or-treating in, go to parties, in haunted houses, or in costume contests. Trick-or-treating during ancient times was when families would go house-to-house asking for cake or food from the end of the harvest. If cake was not provided then tricks were played on the dwelling. In current time, trick-or-treating is a tradition of children dressing in costume going house-to-house asking for candy. A quarter of all candy purchased yearly is sold on Halloween. History. com) Now day’s parents must check children’s candy for injected drugs or other paraphernalia. The older children whom no longer trick-or-treat may go gallivanting around neighborhoods playing tricks on unsuspecting homes; for example: leaving flaming dog poop on door stoops, tepee houses (coving homes in toilet paper), and smashing pumpkin s and mailboxes. Jack-o-lanterns come from the myth of an Irish man named Jack. Jack would play tricks on the Devil. When Jack died, neither heaven nor hell wanted him, so the Devil carved a turnip and put a candle in for Jack to use as a lantern to walk Earth. When the traditions of Halloween came to the Americas, pumpkins were used because they are much easier than to carve than turnips. (Halloween-Dana Meachen Rau) Jack-o-lanterns are used porch decorations or to light a walkway to house for trick-or-treaters and partygoers. (Halloween) Parties and festivals are the most ancient of traditions, hence the Festival of Samhain and the Festival of Samona. Bonfires and harvest parties were an essential part of Halloween. Bonfires were believed to chase away the spirits as well as the ancient Druids used them to talk to the spirits. Bonfires were also used for sharing the harvest with the town as an end of harvest celebration. The present Halloween parties are extravagant and traditional. Many people have one party a year only on Halloween, and they plan all year. Houses are decorated weeks in advance. It is a time to let loose, dress up in costume, and play games for children and adults; bobbing for apples is a traditional Halloween game. There are many festivals. Not in the ancient meaning. Some festivals like Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios is held every year for the entire month of October leading up to Halloween. There are numerous haunted house placed throughout the park, dancers and singers perform elaborate street acts, and actors portray scary characters to walk the streets and scare patrons as they wonder around the park in search of the next adrenaline rush scare! A well-known Mexican tradition celebrated during Halloween is the Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos. The day of the dead is day to celebrate the spirits walking amongst the living, for it is the complete opposite of Halloween. They welcome the spirits of deceased. It is a colorful celebration of the spirits. The tradition of offering and participation in the celebration is an obligation and vital part of Mexican traditions. It is extremely frowned upon if one does not participate. In other words it taboo to not participate in welcoming the spirits and celebrating the 24 hours they get to spend amongst the living. Gravesites are decorated with colorful decorations welcoming the returning spirits. Favorite foods are set out, and parties happen in graveyards. â€Å"To the inhabitant of New York, Paris, or London, death is a word that is never uttered because it burns the lips. The Mexican on the other hand, frequents it, mocks it, caresses it, sleep with it, entertains it; it is one of his favorite playthings and his most enduring love. † –Octavio Paz – Day of the Dead. Death is not feared in Mexico is embraced. The god of death, Mictlantecuhtli was not fears by ancients Mexicans, the Aztecs. The current celebration has not changed much since the past. The Day of Dead is still a very happy, loud, and colorful celebration of the dead. Today’s Halloween is not that much different than Halloweens of past, the Festival of Samhain, the Festival of Pamona, and All Hallows Eve. People still fear the meaning of Halloween its symbols and traditions. Black cats are still thought to be evil. Witches are still thought to be devil worshipers; however, they are no longer burned at the stake. There is still trick-or-treating, carving of jack-o-lanterns, bonfires, and parties. Halloween has become more commercialized than traditionally celebrating the end of harvest, predictions of next year’s harvest with an unpredictable winter, and honoring the souls of the dead.