The Samhain festival, often referred to as Halloween, has long been associated with paganism. The origins of Samhain trace back to ancient Celtic traditions and beliefs, which were deeply rooted in paganism. **Paganism** is a broad term that encompasses various indigenous religions and spiritual practices that existed before the spread of Christianity. Samhain was one of the four main Celtic fire festivals celebrated throughout the year. It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that during Samhain, the veil between the spirit world and the living world was at its thinnest, allowing spirits and fairies to cross over and wander among the living.
During the 19th century CE, the famine caused the relocation of many Irish to America, and they brought with them beliefs and traditions associated with modern Halloween, such as the carving of jack-o'-lanterns (although, the Irish would have historically used turnips, not pumpkins!).
No matter how different present-day Halloween may seem from the pagan fire festival of Samhain, the feeling of transformation and the desire to invoke the supernatural through costumes or otherwise seems to return each year with the waning light and the cooling of the air. While Samhain is certainly an ancient festival, there is no evidence that the Pagan Celts associated it with the dead or with veneration of the Ancestors.
The Celts believed that during Samhain, the veil between the spirit world and the living world was at its thinnest, allowing spirits and fairies to cross over and wander among the living. The festival was primarily focused on honoring and appeasing these spirits. Bonfires were lit to provide warmth and guidance to the spirits, and offerings of food and drink were left out to satisfy them.
Samhain: how Pagans celebrate the darkness
Pagan communities around Britain are this week gearing up for one of the biggest events in their calendar: Samhain.
Paganism is an umbrella term for a family of religious traditions with varying practices and rituals. Among them are Wicca, witchcraft, Druidry and heathenism.
For many of these traditions, Samhain is an important festival as it marks the new year and a time to remember the Ancestors, recent and ancient, with gratitude and honour. It usually takes place between the last few days of October and first few days of November.
Samhain — pronounced sah-wen — means summer’s end. It is the last of three ancient harvest festivals, celebrated by the Celtic nations of Britain and probably dating back to pre-Christian times.
It is also traditionally the time when animals were slaughtered so that they did not have to be kept over winter, and their meat could be used as a valuable reserve, according to Jenny Uzzell, a Druid who runs a progressive funeral home with her partner in Darlington. She is also doing a PhD at Durham University researching modern British Druidry and death rituals.
While many believe that the Christian festival Halloween is derived from the Pagan Samhain, it is actually the other way round, she said.
“While Samhain is certainly an ancient festival, there is no evidence that the Pagan Celts associated it with the dead or with veneration of the Ancestors. The association with the dead came from a Catholic festival to honour the martyrs and the saints’ All Hallows’ Eve — which became Halloween and slowly took on the eerie feel that it has today. Paganism has adopted it and made it into a major festival to honour the dead and the Ancestors.”
The festival usually involves a celebratory meal called a “dumb supper” and this is often eaten in silence in reverse order, starting with dessert. The ancient Celts seem to have associated reversing things with the Otherworld, so for many Pagans this is a way to connect with the dead.
A place is set for the honoured dead who are invited to join the group for a meal. At the end a bell is rung, the conversation resumes and it turns into a party.
“There’s absolutely nothing spooky or morbid or malign about it. It’s purely a case of honouring your Ancestors, because if it hadn’t been for them, you wouldn’t be here,” she said.
“There’s absolutely nothing spooky or morbid or malign about it. It’s purely a case of honouring your Ancestors, because if it hadn’t been for them, you wouldn’t be here”
– Jenny Uzzell
Samhain is also a fire festival, so there are bonfires and fireworks as well. Celebrations at this time would often involve a small ceremony at home, perhaps followed by small offerings of food or drink. Many people would also put up photographs of their forebears on their altar.
Another practice that has become closely linked to Samhain is the Mari Lwyd, meaning “white mare”, a tradition originally from South Wales probably in late 19th-century Wales. It was beginning to die out, but now is becoming increasingly popular.
A decorated horse skull is attached to a pole with a mechanism to make the jaws snap, then it is draped with a white cloth to hide the person operating it. The finished product is the Mari.
She is carried from door to door and from inn to inn in the dark part of the year demanding entry, accompanied by a rowdy group of followers, one of whom is the “Ostler”, who handles and speaks for her.
There follows a poetic battle of wits known as a pwnco, which the Mari and her rowdy group would inevitably win, at which point they would be invited in and given food and drink in return for blessings for the new year.
If the inhabitants win, the revellers move on. If not, the door is opened and the Mari enters, causing havoc, snapping at the people within, galloping around in a spirit of mischief and chaos.
Although there is no evidence that the Mari Lwyd is ancient, or was ever associated with pre-Christian religion, she is enjoying a new lease of life and can be seen at various Pagan and folk events from Samhain until February.
She is seen as a guardian of the dark half of the year, and as a psychopomp, who conducts the souls of the dead safely to the Otherworld. She also represents the spirit of mischief and chaos, although she brings blessings and good fortune to each house or inn that she visits.
One popular event where you can see many Maris at this time of year is “the Dark Gathering”, a large public celebration of Samhain that will be returning this year after being on hold during the pandemic.
Visitors from all over the country flock to the grounds of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle, Cornwall, for what essentially becomes a huge party and bonfire.
“It’s a celebration of the Ancestors and creating a connection between the living and the dead and honouring the Ancestors with performances, poetry, songs and Morris dancers,” Ms Uzzell said.
Another popular folk celebration at this time of year is the Samhuinn Fire Festival at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, on Monday, 31 October. The Beltane Fire Society promises “dazzling fire-play, acrobatics and drums as an epic battle between winter and summer unfolds”.
Image credit: Crossbones GraveyardLondon was formerly host to a regular celebration at Crossbones Graveyard in Southwark. For centuries the site was a paupers’ cemetery in one of London’s worst slums. An estimated 15,000 are estimated to have been buried there before it shut in 1853.
Archaeologists discovered the site during work on the Jubilee Line extension in the 1990s. It was later transformed as a shrine and garden of remembrance.
A ritual drama called the Halloween of Cross Bone Yards honoured the spirits of the outcast dead for several years, culminating with a candlelit procession. There was an altar to Ancestors and food was left for the hungry ghosts.
“Like a lot of these things there were many Pagans involved in it, but it was by no means exclusively Pagan,” Ms Uzzell said. “It was very much a folk religion outpouring. It’s a grassroots thing that came from the community but is about the connection with the dead.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many important supernatural events described in Celtic mythology occur during the time of Samhain. The Second Battle of Moytura (Cath Maige Tuired), a pivotal moment in Irish mythology and one of the most important remaining medieval texts on the subject, was fought between the spiritual beings known as the Túatha Dé Danann and the Fomoire and is said to have taken place during Samhain.
People would also dress up in costumes and masks to confuse and ward off evil spirits. When Christianity spread to Celtic lands, efforts were made to convert the Celtic people and assimilate their traditions into Christian ones. **However, the association of Samhain with pagan practices, including the belief in spirits and the use of costumes, was not easily erased.** Instead, the Christian holiday of All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, was established on November 1st to honor saints and martyrs. The night before, October 31st, became known as All Hallows' Eve, which eventually morphed into Halloween. Despite the Christian influence, many pagan elements of Samhain have persisted in modern-day Halloween celebrations. The practice of wearing costumes, the carving of jack-o'-lanterns, and the belief in supernatural entities all harken back to the traditions associated with Samhain. Additionally, the use of bonfires and the celebration of the harvest season can still be seen in some Halloween festivities. In conclusion, while the Christian holiday of Halloween has adopted many of the customs associated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, **the roots of Samhain in paganism are undeniable**. The holiday continues to serve as a reminder of the historic blending of religious and cultural beliefs, and the enduring influence of pagan practices in modern society..
Reviews for "Exploring Samhain Festival Traditions from a Pagan Lens"
1. John - 1 star
I found this article on the samhain festival to be completely biased and inaccurate. The author clearly has a pro-paganism agenda and fails to provide any evidence or sources to support their claims. As someone who is not affiliated with paganism, I was hoping to learn more about the historical context and origins of the festival, but instead, I was met with a one-sided narrative that only served to promote paganism. I would not recommend this article to anyone seeking objective information on the samhain festival.
2. Emma - 2 stars
I was disappointed with this article as it did not offer a balanced perspective on the topic of the samhain festival and its association with paganism. The author presented their own beliefs and opinions without considering alternative viewpoints. It would have been more informative if the article had delved into the varying interpretations and controversies surrounding the festival's connection to paganism. Overall, I felt that this article lacked objectivity and failed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.
3. Mark - 1 star
This article is clearly written from a pagan viewpoint, making no effort to present a fair and unbiased analysis of the samhain festival's relationship with paganism. It selectively chooses information that supports the author's own beliefs and completely dismisses any conflicting views. Additionally, the lack of citations and references further diminishes the credibility of this article. I would caution readers to seek alternative sources for a more well-rounded understanding of the topic.