10-26-2022 8:31am

Halloween Celebrations Around The Globe

Brooke Donnelly, Student

Sykadelx/Getty Images

Origin

The origins of Halloween date back to an ancient Celtic festival, Samhain, which marked the end of summer and harvest along with the beginning of winter, which was a season often associated with death. Celtics would burn crops and animals as sacrifice to the Celtic deities. They often wore costumes of animal heads and skins as they believed this would ward off ghosts.

The Roman Empire conquered the majority of Celtic territory which began the changes of Halloween. Feralia was the first Roman celebration to be combined with Samhain which observe the passing of the dead. Then, a day to honor the Roman goddess of fruit and trees, Pomona, this celebration may be the explanation for the apple bobbing tradition practiced during Halloween today, as Ponoma’s symbol was an apple.

North America & Australia

In North America many who are Catholic, and many who aren’t religious, celebrate Halloween on the 31st of October by dressing up in costumes, trick or treating, giving out candy, carving pumpkins, and much more. Australians celebrate Halloween similar to North America with trick-or-treating, parties, and scary movies.

Latin America

Halloween is commonly known as ‘Noche de brujas’ which translates to ‘Night of the Witches’. Similarly to North American traditions, children in Latin America dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, and carve pumpkins. Teens and young adults go to local discos and pubs, dressed up. Some in Latin America don’t want to celebrate Halloween and mostly dedicate themselves towards a Mexican holiday called ‘the Day of the Dead’ or known in Spanish as ‘el Dia de los Muertos’. El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd and is a day to celebrate and honor the dead who they believe come home to earth on these days. The holiday is celebrated with skulls, music, food, dancing, flowers, and attending meetings in the graveyards of those they love to bring gifts to their graves.

PERU: Dia de la Canción Criolla

Also known as The Day of the Creole Song, celebrated on Halloween is a day of importance towards their traditions and culture. Focusing on the music aspect of the holiday, Criollan is a music genre which is a combination of African, Spanish, and many other music styles.

Europe

ITALY: Tutti i Santi and All Souls Day

November 1st and 2nd are an Italian holiday when businesses are closed and people take off work to honor their loved ones who have passed away, many visiting graves of loved ones.

Africa

Though Halloween is celebrated in Africa it is banned in Rwanda for religious reasons

Asia

PHILIPPINES:

The Philippines celebrations around Halloween are similar to those talked about above, between October 31st and November 2nd Filipinos remember and celebrate their loved ones who have passed.

SINGAPORE:

Singapore is seen as the most enthusiastic Asian country for Halloween, as they celebrate it by the western view of Halloween; trick-or-treating and halloween parties. Their Universal Studios Singapore is decorated with Halloween decorations and trick-or-treating park tours.