Press Release 2024

Tristán Kapp

Spokesperson & Interfaith Officer

tristan@paganrightslliance.org

It’s that time of the year again and some people are preparing to spook the hell out of each other (pun intended). Well, some more than others. Despite it being a jolly and fun filled occasion, providing the opportunity for many people to dress up as their favourite horror pop-culture reference, there are always the ‘Debby downer’ social media Adele Vreys, who anxiously run to social media to warn their fellow Christians about “Satan’s holiday” and how every believer “should not serve two masters” by celebrating this “evil day”.

These peculiar reactions always demonstrate what the late Anton LaVey said, tongue-in-cheek, in his 9th Satanic statement: “The Devil has been the best friend the church has ever had, as he has kept it in business all these years.”

Little do these anxious morality crusaders know, or care, that modern Halloween actually originates as a plagiarised Christian celebration appropriated by Catholic Christians from Irish pagans.

Christian social and political monopoly, especially in parts with a Western cultural hegemony, such as South Africa, has resulted in many formally sacred and ancient religious traditions being rebranded and stigmatised as “demonic” or “Satanic”.

You have probably heard of, or even read, about some silly Facebook post on Halloween being lauded as “the time where Satanists come to kidnap your cat and sacrifice your children”.

Those who do follow diverse occult philosophies (whether atheistic or theistic), are always accused of actively plotting the demise of Christians with the help of demonic legions.

Halloween: where does it come from? And is it really a “Satanic holiday”?

Simply put, no. Satan does not exist outside of Greco-Roman Christian religious myth.

Halloween is actually a linguistic contraction (TLDR: a language phenomenon where terms and phrases get abbreviated), from the original (old) English: “All Hallow’s Eve”, a.k.a “All Saints’ Eve”. Which marked the start of what was known by the Catholics, then, as “Allhallowtide”; a season reserved in the Christian liturgical calendar to revere the lives of departed saints (the hallowed). In other words, the souls of important dead faithful and martyrs (those who fought and died for the Christian faith). More or less, the Catholics’ version of Marvel’s Avengers. Yes, some of them are even believed to have weird superpowers, too!

The dominant theory regarding the origins of Halloween argues that it was ‘hijacked’ and repurposed by Catholics from the original Celtic Druid harvest festival, Samhain (pronounced ‘sauin’ as per the original Irish Gaelic) referring to “summer’s end” or its’ Scottish equivalent Bealtaine (pronounced ‘bel’tane‘), translating to “bright fire”!

This festival was no more than a celebration of an end to the harvest season of crops (in the summer), and the start of winter (the “darker-half” of the year) in the Northern hemisphere. It was a festival celebrated across Ireland, Scotland, and the Isles of Man, in mostly agricultural communities (farmers), featuring the slaughtering of cattle, accompanied by boisterous feasting, excessive drinking and merrymaking around large bonfires.

On a side note, this is a lot similar to the famous South American Dia de los Muertos, celebrated around the same time (October/November) to this day, in many indigenous Spanish/Latin-American territories. Furthermore, the Celtic pagans however, believed that the Aos Sí (in native-Irish religion, referring to “spirits”, “faeries” or more directly translated, “people of the mounds”) would come visit the realm of the living, seeking hospitality. Although, apart from these individual celebrations, the main communal festivities were usually held at family burial mounds in the hills (which were opened/dug up), as they were believed to be ‘portals’ through which spirits travel from the nether realm to the realm of the living. Processions started at dusk, on the 31st of October, ending at dawn, on 1 November.

Mumming and guising (disguises/costumes) were also an integral tradition during the festival period. People went door-to-door in costumes resembling pagan deities; reciting verses or rhymes in exchange for food and gifts. Some scholars believe that these costumes may also have been a way of imitating the guises of, and/or disguising oneself, from the Aos Sí. In addition to this, Divination practices formed another big part of the overall celebrations, and often involved hazelnuts and apples (apples were strongly associated with the Otherworld and immortality, while hazelnuts were associated with divine wisdom in Celtic myth).

Eventually, Rome conquered the Celts c. 43 C.E. and ruled until 410 C.E. Resulting in the Roman Catholic Church, rebranding the Celtic festival to “All Saints’ Day” Missa Gaudeamus (usually held on 31 October, as well) to 1 November, while allocating 2 November for the celebration of “All Souls’ Day” Omnium Sanctorum.

After the Roman Catholic Church had taken over the Celtic holiday of Samhain, the original Celtic mumming and guising was replaced with “Soulling”, a practice that emerged in late-modern England (c. 1500-1800) and was popularly practiced until around the 1930’s, where children of the poor went door-to-door begging (without costumes, though) for money or “soul cakes” (basically, a low-budget scone). They were named as such, as they were given to the beggars in exchange for a promise to pray for specific departed family member/s (so that they may pass on from Purgatory to Heaven), during Hallowmas. As such, beggars usually sang hymns and recited prayers “for the souls of the givers and their friends”. Some wealthy Catholics even had their soul cakes blessed by a priest (for a small fee, of course) before subsequently being distributed to the poor. After learning of this, beggars subsequently started charging money for the promise to pray for departed souls, throughout the month of November. Which was -and in some locations, today, still is a month dedicated especially to the praying for Catholic Christian (Hallowed) souls. Any leftover soul cakes were then shared among families or distributed to the poor.

Most sources are, however, in agreement that the aforementioned traditions of ritualised begging, are main examples of where the roots of late-modern (1800’s) ‘trick-or-treating’ lie. Although, this too is contested by others, as some argue that Scotland’s traditional day of guising, infamously known as “Guy Fawkes Day (Night)” (remember, remember, the 5th of November…), also made its contribution. In addition, a third opinion holds; though the modus operandi of trick-or-treating, today, is purported to have originated in the aforementioned traditions. The actual origins of the contemporary ‘ritualised’ practice of trick-or-treating, is rather more recent. It appears to have emerged around the early 1900’s. More specifically, during the infamous Great Depression in the United States. Young pranksters would vandalise property “for the hell of it” -pardon the pun. With the earliest literary reference to Halloween, appearing in The Book of Hallowe’en(1919:141) by Ruth Edna Kelly (American author and librarian), espousing “…bags filled with flour sprinkle the passers-by. Doorbells are rung and mysterious raps sounded on doors, things thrown into halls, and knobs stolen…Hallowe’en parties are the real survival of the ancient merrymakings.”

Kelly (1991) describes the practice of Halloween festivities, not as preludes to solicitation, but rather silly pranks that sought to inconvenience, or aggravate its victims. Which resulted in extreme laughter from the pranksters (obviously)! This statement also accords well with (then) contemporary Newspaper articles, trending in the early 1900’s, reporting news of similar events. However, the question of origins and its connection between ancient traditions of Pagan mummery, Catholic beggary, and eventually worsening pranks culminating into vandalism, evolving into what’s known today as “trick-or-treating”. Begs an answer to a missing link, connecting them all… The aforementioned allusion to vandalism, occurred during Halloween in modern America, and was strongly condemned during the late 1920’s. Festive pranking, as such, was discouraged because it went from stealing doorknobs, to tipping over cars, and eventually burning buildings (among other acts of severe vandalism). Authorities subsequently sought to control and catch these unruly pranksters but were continually outnumbered. Eventually, following widespread condemnation, the tradition (along with its ‘celebrations’) appeared to have ended by the late 1900’s.

It reemerged again, however, when cities started encouraging parties as a more apt and alternative form of celebration (without the need for pranks or vandalism). Eventually, these parties rose to popularity and later civic groups started sponsoring costume parades, and soon enough entire cities became invaded with children dressed as goblins, witches on broomsticks, clowns, gangsters, and even hoodlums! Windows were already decorated, in order to deter pranksters from putting up their own versions. And Halloween celebrations subsequently not only became a treat for children, but also a preventative tactic against expensive pranks. However, even though expensive pranks were mostly averted, that did not mean; these pranks were eliminated altogether! Children in the 1900’s, instead, devised pranks with minor inconvenience to its victims. For example, hanging a dead fish on doorknobs, while ringing the doorbell/knocking; then running away. This signalled, in many ways, the perfect prank: it annoyed the host, without really causing any real harm, or lasting damage. It intruded in a way which was not just unpreventable, but also unprovable: waging a sort of ‘invisible war’ against the peace and privacy of the households affected.

And so, with these events all falling into place during Halloween, it preluded the perfect “trick-or-treat”-ing endeavour. Still, it never became a fully-fledged ‘ritual’ per se, until 1927 in Alberta, Canada, where the first description of a “trick-or-treat” occurrence emerged in a local newspaper. After which, suddenly, sporadic accounts emerged with the words “trick-or-treat” written all over it. Subsequently spreading worldwide and became known, ever since, as the contemporary Halloween practice, we know and love today: Costumes, doorbell-ringing, and treats! Eventually, Hollywood and Capitalism (aided by the American post-Great Depression economy) soon took advantage of this ages-old mummery-tradition, popularising the horror blockbuster, John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978. Followed by an entire series, stretching all the way to 2009 (remaking the classic original in 2018). It was also during the 60’s to 80’s, following the “Occult revival” in America, which saw an increasing interest in ancient Occult-related traditions/practices. Resulting in the Christian Church spreading conspiracy theories about alleged organised “Satanic cults”, during what’s infamously known as the “Satanic Panic” around the late 80’s to early 90’s. Sparking a massive moral panic about alleged “occult-related crime” and an entire polemical discourse that (sadly) led to the Occult, and invariably Halloween, suffering its “bad rep” to this day. Thanks, Christians! This is why we can’t have nice things…

But what did Pumpkins have to do with the whole shebang?

One of the most important and popular iconographies, marking the Halloween or “spooky season” spirits – aside from bats, skeletons, trick-or-treating, and dressing-up – are scary pumpkins! Their origins and myth are almost about as old as Halloween itself. Starting out as a legend/old-wives-tale/scary ghost story, told to children before bedtime, this tall tale (featuring pumpkins) is strongly rooted in Irish-Catholic identity. Imagine the Christmas tale of Charles Dickens’ protagonist character Ebenezer Scrooge, in his novella: A Christmas Carol.

Irish folklore tells the fictional story of “Stingy Jack” (a.k.a “Jack o’ the Lantern“): a foul, old, drunkard of a blacksmith, who was a prude, a schemer, and all-round unpleasant guy. As such, unironically, ol’ Jack thrived on deceit and manipulating people for his own benefit. That was, until his antics eventually caught the attention of Satan, as rumours of his vile reputation started to spread. Satan, however, took more than a passing glimpse of an interest in ol’ Jack and his antics. As such, he decided to orchestrate a sequence of events, which would result in their ‘coincidental’ meeting. One evening, in the rural hills of Ireland, while Jack was drunkenly making his way out of the pub: Satan ordered one of his demons to pose as a dead man for “Stingy” Jack to bump into, on the side of the road.

When Jack encountered this grotesque corpse: a deranged face, with a foul grin plastered on its face, stared back at him. Jack almost soiled himself out of shock. Yet simultaneously, he quickly realised; his time was up. At long last, Satan had come to collect his soul… Jack then fell to his knees, desperately begging the demon for a final request: one final drink, before he departed the world. The demon granted his request, and Jack invited Satan to the nearest tavern for a drink! One drink became two, and two became three, and so on and so forth… – eventually the pair became quite inebriated. As is bound to happen when you drink with an Irishman. When it was time to settle the bill, Jack told Satan (his new favourite drinking buddy) that he didn’t have any money. So, Jack decided to appeal to Satan’s ego; suggesting that, since he was the devil, he could turn himself into a piece of silver and help Jack pay the tab!

Satan, of course, obliged. Whereas Jack – instead of paying – quickly shoved the silver coin in his pocket, fully aware that it contained a small crucifix within. Satan (realising he was tricked) fought to get out but was trapped in by this crucifix. Jack then attempted a deal with Satan, negotiating that if he would leave him alone for a decade (10 years). He (Jack) would promise to release Satan from his silver prison, if he agrees. Satan had no choice but to agree and the deal was made. Jack released Satan, and Satan though impressed by Jack’s trickery, stuck to the deal and left him alone. Ten years went by fast, and eventually Satan returned to visit Jack again. This time, ready to claim his soul and escort him to the pits of hell. However, true to his nature, Jack appealed to Satan once again. This time, he asked Satan for an apple from the nearest tree, to quell his hunger before embarking on the long journey ahead. And again, while an unsuspecting Satan, was busy selecting a choice apple: Jack carved four crucifixes on the bark of the tree, trapping Satan (yet again) within its branches. Only this time, Jack told Satan that he would not release him, except if he agreed that he would not take him to hell. Tricked again, Satan had little choice but to submit to Jack’s will.

And so, “Stingy” Jack continued on merrily with his life, knowing that he was safe and that he tricked Satan —not just once, but twice! Eventually, many years of alcohol abuse took its toll and Jack died miserably. He may have outsmarted Satan twice, but he could not cheat his way out of death. Upon his arrival at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter immediately turned him away. (I mean, it is rather self-explanatory that heaven would refuse lying and deceitful drunkards like Jack, contrary to popular belief …sorry, Christians). Alas, unphased, Jack scoffed at St. Peter and decided to brave the journey down to hell. There his brooding arch-nemesis was waiting; biding his time to get revenge on Jack. And Satan, ironically this time, being the honest and true-to-his-word one between them both, reminded Jack of their initial agreement back when Jack was still very much alive. And so, even Satan turned Jack away from the ‘Black Gates’ of hell.

However, seeing as though neither St. Peter, nor Satan, would grant Stingy Jack entrance into their respective “eternal realms”, Satan pitied Jack and granted him one last wish: which Jack thought long and hard about. Eventually wishing for an ember from the pits of hell, to provide him with a light as he wandered the world in darkness. Granting his wish, Satan picked one, small, burning red coal and handed it to Jack. Yet, in order to carry the flaming hot ember, Jack hollowed out a Turnip. Turning it into a makeshift lantern. And ever since, it has been said that Jack’s ghost can be spotted: doomed to wander aimlessly around the Irish countryside, for all eternity. And so, whenever one of the locals would spot glimpses of strange light, they say, “Bah! That’s just Jack o’ the lantern.” Though, it is still said that even though Jack’s spirit is damned to wander the mortal plains, until the proposed Judgement Day in Christian eschatology. The Irish Celts (then staunchly Catholic) did not want Jack’s spirit to visit their houses. So, every year on 31 October (Samhain), they took precautions: placing carved Turnips and Rutabagas with menacing faces, containing a candle/ember, on their doorsteps. In hopes that it would serve as deterrent for bad spirits, including that of Stingy Jack’s. And so, between the 19th-20th centuries, when the Irish migrated to America; along came their Catholic beliefs, traditional myths, and folklore. Eventually, they discovered that the Pumpkin, a sort of gourd-species indigenous to the United States, was bigger and thus more effective for the aforementioned purposes. And as a result the infamous Halloween pumpkin was born!

So, no. It’s not a religious veneration of Satan.

It is much like its sacred counterparts; Christmas, Easter, and even Valentine’s Day, a day filled with rich social, cultural and historic traditions that warrant education, instead of petty stigmatisation and fear-mongering. Unfortunately, some are uneducable. Let the pranking resume! Grab a manky fish, or a bagged dog turd, unscrew their doorknobs, and wreak havoc upon these cognitive misers!