Days of the Dead
“Three nights that bring the ancestors near, through veils that thin they gather near”
Samhain is a time to remember, for three divine days we are permitted to stop and think of our dead. This may sound a rather maudlin affair, but on the contrary, it provides a sense of focus and structure to remembering the dead. Samhain is quickly becoming the new Days of the Dead, and whilst in the UK they are yet to match the splendour, colour and vibrancy of Central and South America’s Dias De Los Muertos, they are certainly increasing in popularity.
The Coligny calendar made of bronze and dating to the second century of the Common Era, records a festival called “Trinoxtion Samonii”, or the three nights of Samhain (Summer’s end). With gleeful delight I take this as ancestral permission to extend the Samhain festivities to cover three wondrous nights.
So what do we do, how do we celebrate a festival that venerates and honours the dead in a manner that is applicable and appropriate to the twenty first century? Like with most things, it is intention that initiates new traditions, and if the quality of that intention inspires others, we are well on our way to creating meaningful new traditions. Thankfully when it comes to Samhain, the ship has already left harbour, we are already sailing into a new dusk that heralds a vibrant new Days of the Dead.
In an anthropological sense, if you want to learn something about a civilisation, look at how they treat their dead. It says an awful lot about their beliefs, standards, ethics and social behaviour patterns. Our current methods of dealing with the dead in the Western World are surprisingly rather new. The industrialisation of the funeral industry was a phenomena of the Victorian era, thanks to the inspiring efforts of Victoria, the ‘Mourning Queen’ death was given a new face. It was both admired, romanticised, venerated and feared. In a highly Christianised society, death rituals and ceremonies were tied in with religion, that was the norm. But things are changing.
The modern Halloween offers an opportune period at the end of the harvest that combines the secular frivolity of All Hallows Eve in all its commercial glory, the sublime aspects of the Celtic Samhain, and the colourful influence of Dias De Los Muertos. With the rise of modern Paganism these traditions are deliciously blending together in the cauldron of inspiration – the result. A new and vibrant tradition that not only sings of the Old World and the Old Ways, but is relevant and applicable to those who practise it. It is rapidly becoming the perfect blend of frivolous partying and sombre honouring of the dead. One would never think the two would work together, but somehow they do.
So what can we do over the 3 nights of Samhain? Perhaps the best course of action here is to briefly describe my own traditions –
On the first day we host a dumb supper, the table is strewn with flowers and photographs of our dead. No electric lights are used at all, candles are lit in the windows to welcome the dead, and the meal is served in reverse order, starting with dessert, and consumed in utter silence. The effect is rather peculiar. Eating is such a social affair ordinarily. In this case, what one is focused upon is the dead.
The second day of Samhain has two aspects to it. During the day I journey around my locality visiting the graves of my loved ones. The graves are tended to, cleaned, flowers left and also a couple of Soul Cakes. It is a poignant time for I tend to do this alone, it’s just me and the memories of those who I love. Alas, it seems as we get older, there are more graves to visit. But, oddly, I relish this part of Samhain the most. A time to stop, to breathe and just be with the dead and their memories.
The evening of the second day sees our annual Samhain ritual, this year the first half is undertaken at an ancient burial chamber to honour the ancient dead. The second half focuses on the recent dead. It is a moving, touching and deeply humbling ritual where the dead are called by name and candles lit in their memories. And as the ritual gives way to socialising and feasting, we are continuously reminded of the dead by the burning candles upon the altar.
Day 3 of Samhain I set aside to remember my animal companions and also to recall and acknowledge the fallen dead, those who have died in or as a result of conflict or its collateral damage. Invariably the evening of Day 3 is when we have our Halloween party, Trick or Treaters are welcomed and food and drink consumed in a lighter atmosphere.
But does all this have a function? Is it actually doing something worthwhile? I think that it is. When we are forgotten we cease to exist, people only truly die when we forget them. Samhain/Halloween provides 3 days in the year where we are permitted to focus on the dead with as much attention and concentration as we wish. Grief never goes away, it simply finds its home within us, and it changes us. To many, the ability to have space to express that grief is important and healthy. In our new Samhain traditions we have this space.
A space and a place to remember.
What will you do this year to remember your dead?
I wish you a blessed and memorable Samhain /Halloween.
Kristoffer Hughes
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