Ok...sooo...why are we celebrating Halloween again?

It may or may not by now be evident that I have a fascination with the occult and mythology in general [no, i've never had a seance but that is only because i've never found anyone willing to summon spirits with me]. As skeptical as we are we tend to once in a while feel a tinge that there is something lurking beneath the surface of our petty human existence that is not easily seen.

Jamaica, in it's habit of adopting other people's cultures has in recent years seen a drastic increase in the number of people "celebrating" Halloween. Halloween? Are we serious? I have even received word that as we speak certain gated communities, with a majority of "pigmentally-challenged" residents are ensuring that everyone's apartment is stocked full of candy to accommodate the "Trick-or-Treaters".

It all makes me wonder if we understand where the tradition is coming from, and subsequent to this understanding shouldn't we be asking ourselves why the hell we are celebrating a custom that in it's origin welcomed the dead to walk amongst the living?

The origin of Halloween dates back before Christ. The Celtics' mythology taught that with the coming of winter, a season of the dead, came a night in which the spirits of the dead could freely roam about with humans.

During this interval the normal order of the universe is suspended, the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are temporarily removed, the sidh lies open and all divine beings and the spirits of the dead move freely among men and interfere sometimes violently, in their affairs.
(Celtic Mythology, p. 127)

To appease the spirits and the gods that were worshipped, the Celtic people would put out their best food offerings on the doorstep. Celtic priests would also offer sacrifices, animal and human, to the gods to ask for a return of the sun and in hopes that the gods would chase away the evil, frightening spirits. Often, the Celtics would wear dreadful costumes, hoping to fool an evil spirit with the disguise.

I'll admit, this "theory" leaves much to be desired, but in the context of the situation, as the rain continues to fall outside for what is now maybe the fourth day, and children are being kidnapped, raped and mutilated everywhere. Should we really be filling our bodies with various narcotics while wearing costumes that [by the fact of anonymity] just welcome sinister activity?

Then again, this is Jamaica, we're all just looking for another excuse to party aren't we? "No Problem Mon".

Today's Tune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwwytVceo8Y