Countdown to Halloween: Campfires, Ghost Stories, And Hauntings
by Marisa
Haunted houses and horror films, zombies and ghouls, Halloween traditions are inseparable from images of the dead, even if the origins are sometimes a bit, well, masked.
To the ancient Celts, the fine Samhain veil between earthly and spiritual planes made for a long night of ghostly goings on – from wandering spirits, to visitations from departed loved ones. In this context, our tradition of visiting haunted houses and telling ghost stories around the fire harks back both to the Pagan ritual reverence for the dead, and the ancient Celtic desire for protection from more menacing, soul-stealing ghouls.
Sprinkling salt into the hair of children, or burning dried sage (known as smudging) were just a couple of the protective measures favored across the British Isles. But how does this relate to fire? It may seem simply convenient, given the charm of a late October hearth, that campfires and ghost stories are so intertwined. Historically, however, Samhain balefires were an integral part of the night’s celebration, lighting the dark sky, purifying the land, warding off evil, and containing the energy of the newly departed Sun God (whose passing symbolized both the end of the harvest and the slaughter of animals for winter).
The ancient Celts often burned several fires in close proximity, and would drive their cattle between the flames, or leap amongst the fires themselves, in a ritual purification. (The perception that fire could purge evil influences was later used to horrifying effect in the witch burnings of the mid-fifteenth through eighteenth centuries.) As cattle were a primary unit of currency to pre-Christian Celts, villagers would also cast the bones of slaughtered livestock upon the fire, along with other symbols of their hopes for the coming season. The term “bonfire,” from “bone-fire,” is said to have grown from this practice.
As the morning sun rose, portions of the dwindling fire were distributed to re-kindle individual hearths and protect the journey home. (The moan of the Bean Sidhe or banshee, foretelling a death in the family was, after all, a threat up until morning.) The Samhain ashes were then sprinkled over the fields for protection during the winter months.
So this year, as you light your fire or place a candle in your Jack-o-lantern, maybe take a moment to toss your own hopes for the coming season upon the flame. At a minimum, you’ll know your dreams are well-protected.
| 10/29/07
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