A Cultural Shift: The Evolution Of Halloween

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.” - Deuteronomy 18:10-12. Culture is meant to be responsive to change. In fact, humans also are responsive to their cultural space. The relationship is therefore one of reciprocity and works beautifully when in alignment. Notwithstanding, culture is shaped by both internal and external agents. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines culture as “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group, that encompasses, not only art and literature but lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs.” Acculturation . Acculturation is a process through which a person or group from one culture comes to adopt the practices and values of another culture, while still retaining their own distinct culture. Psychological acculturation is an individual’s attitudinal and behavioral adjustment to another culture, which typically varies with regard to degree and type. The first known use of the term "acculturation" within the social sciences was by John Wesley Powell in a report for the U.S. Bureau of Ethnology in 1880. Powell later defined acculturation as the psychological changes that occur within a person due to cultural exchange that occurs as a result of extended contact between different cultures. Humans are migratory and as a result all societies at one point experience this process of acculturation. Intersectionality. Undoubtedly, those of us who live in post slavery societies are very much aware of the richness and dynamism of our cultures. It therefore comes as no surprise that over the years we have gravitated towards experiencing a new cultural diet. That cultural hunger and thirst have led many to embrace Halloween. Without a doubt there is some interconnectedness with Halloween and early Christianity. Halloween has roots in Samhain, a pagan Celtic festival held around November 1, marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. During Samhain, it was believed that the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest, and people made offerings or engaged in rituals to appease wandering spirits. As Christianity spread, All Saints’ Day (celebrated on November 1) was introduced to honour Christian martyrs and saints, giving rise to "All Hallows' Eve," which later evolved into Halloween. For many Christians, the superstitions and rituals from Samhain are incompatible with biblical teachings. The Bible warns against practices tied to sorcery, witchcraft, and occult activities. On May 13, 609, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1. By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older Celtic rites. In the year 1000, the church made November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honor the dead. It’s widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, church-sanctioned holiday. History of Trick or Treating. Carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween. The tradition of carving Jack-o’-Lanterns originated in Ireland using turnips instead of pumpkins. Among other symbols associated with Halloween are witches, bats, skeletons and spiders. Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings or mirrors. In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes. Local Perspectives. Over the years there has been an evolution of the culture surrounding Halloween. In fact the rise in popularity of Halloween has also seen divergent views among members of the clergy in Jamaica. In a recent local newspaper Bishop Dr Grace Ade-Gold called on Christians to rise up and condemn the “demonic” celebration, while Anglican priest Sean Major Campbell believes the church has bigger issues to tackle within its own walls. Bishop Ade-Gold said that the celebration, which is observed in many countries on October 31, is rooted in demonic principles and evokes evil spirits which will cause further chaos in Jamaica. The Bishop added that the Church should speak against Halloween. “The Church should rise up against it. Unfortunately, there are some churches that cannot discern to see that this is devilish and so they participate by also putting on the costumes and doing parties and all kinds of stuff.” Many cultures and societies that years ago did not open themselves to Halloween have done so in recent years. On the other hand, Father Major Campbell said that the Church should spend more time combating the evils within its walls. “It is quick and easy to condemn Halloween and costume parties. It is more difficult to address lies, hypocrisy, child molestation, stealing, and corruption in the Church. Commercialization of Halloween. Marketers quickly seized this opportunity as a prime way to sell goods. Over the years there have been a wide range of Halloween themed costumes to satisfy those customers who enjoy this sort of celebration. Americans are projected to spend $11.6 billion on Halloween decorations, costumes, candy and other festive purchases this October, according to an annual survey from the National Retail Federation. A more detailed analysis shows that $3.8 billion will be spent on costumes, $3.8 billion dedicated to decorations, $3.5 billion allocated to purchasing candy and $0.5 billion spent on greeting cards, per the survey. That dollar amount marked a slight downturn compared to 2023’s record $12.2 billion but still signified a nearly 57% increase in spending compared to 2014 figures. That year, Americans forked out an estimated $7.4 billion on the ghoulish holiday. Last year, consumers in the United States of America expected to spend an all-time high of 12.2 billion U.S. dollars for the Halloween season. In 2024, however, U.S. shoppers were expected to spend about half a billion less. To Participate or Not. Given the Caribbean’s proximity to the United States of America which is widely viewed as the Mecca of Halloween it is not surprising that there appears to be a softening of the opposition to Halloween. Interestingly, President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden hosted their annual trick-or-treaters at the White House on Wednesday for the last time. The first lady, a teacher for 40 years, added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to help encourage reading. Jill Biden read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the South Lawn. Up to 8,000 people, including students and children tied to the military, were expected to pass through the White House gates throughout the day. The church in particular is clearly divided on this matter. The more traditional denominations are clearly in favour of a more inclusive society on the matter of Halloween. There are those who argue that Christian Liberty facilitates differing approaches, as long as believers honour God in their decisions. However, how can a Christian participate in any activity that is against Godly principles? Paul wrote to a group of Christians in the region of Galatia. He met them when he travelled through their area and preached the message of Jesus to them. Paul said in Galatians 5:1, “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Some will argue that participating in Halloween and slavery are not the same. Some Christians compartmentalize their faith and will allow their children to go trick or treating or will give consent for their children to attend a Halloween themed party. In fact, some Christians will also participate in all things Halloween and see no problem. In Jamaica, Hope Gardens hosted a Halloween party that saw a section of the clergy opposing this event. Halloween is observed on October 31st annually. In the words of Michael Jackson, it's close to midnight, and something evil's lurking in the dark, under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart, you try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #Halloween #Christianity