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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 2004)
Celtic lands circa 800 A.D. Britt Furtwancler | Graphics editor IN BRIEF Historical holiday: A tour of Halloween's origins Halloween’s origins date back 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and Northern France. Nov. 1 marked the end of summer harvests for the Celts. On Oct. 31, they believed the ghosts of the underworld would cause mischief. The priests would honor the event with bon fires, and the Celts gathered in costumes and made animal sacrifices. They used the bonfire to light hearth fires to protect themselves from the upcoming winter. By A.D. 43, the Romans had occupied most of the Celtic lands. The modern-day notion of bobbing for apples might stem from the Roman celebration of Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees. Her symbol is the apple. By the 800s, Christianity was spreading rap idly through the Celtic lands and Pope Boniface designated Nov. 1 “All Saints Day” to pay re spects to saints and martyrs. This celebration was named All-hallowmas and the night be fore it “All-hallows Eve. ” The American custom of “trick-or-treating” probably dates back to England and the All Souls Day Parades where poor citizens would travel from house to house begging for food. Families provided pastries in exchange for prayers for their dead relatives. Eventually, chil dren began “going-a-souling” and visited neighborhoo houses for food, ale and money. In the later 19th century, millions of immigrants brought All Hallow’s Eve traditions to America. Americans imitated English and Irish immigrants by dressing in costumes. In the 1950s, Halloween night was plagued by vandalism and was geared toward children to limit the destruction. Families tried to pre vent “tricks” by providing children with “treats.” Today, Americans have turned the Celtic fes tival into the second-largest commercial holi day, spending an estimated $6.9 billion annual ly on decorations and treats. Source: www.historychannel.com For the complete story, visit www.dailyemerald.com. — Colleen McClure Jan. 20, 1692 Feb. 29 June 10 Oct. 8 Nov. 25 Nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams display strange behaviors such as seizures and trance-tike states. Soon, other Salem girls begin showing similar behaviors. Alter being repeatedly asked to identify the source of their affliction, the girls say they have influenced by witches, and identify three local women. Arrest warrants are Bridget Bishop is hanged in the first official ececution of the Salem witch trials. 20 people have been hanged, and Thomas Brittle writes a letter criticizing the witch trials. Influenced by the letter. Governor Phips bars spectral evidence from use in the trials. The General Court of the colony creates the Superior Court to try remaining witchcraft cases No one is convicted. Source: www.salemweb.com/memorial Bret Furtwancler | Graphics editor Trials: Witchcraft's relations to religious structure unclear Continued from page 6B Silver Ravenwolf. These authors dis cuss the idea that true witches do not believe in Satan. Buckland says it is doubtful that the people accused of witchcraft were actually witches in the reli gious sense. Buckland's views are echoed in the Witches’ Voice, an on line publication. “What was described in the docu ments of the trials is not now, and never has been, the belief or practice of the ‘Craft of the Wise,”’ wrote Wren Walker, chairwoman for the-Witches’ Voice. Today, some people view the Puri tan religious ideology as fanatical. “Perhaps the Puritans have left us with this way of looking at the world that avoids complexity, and I think that can lead to dangerous ends,” Reis said. Heather Crabtree is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald So Get Your Costume at 1166 South A Street 726*6969 L ^ 020377 • Uniformed security 7 days a week • Resident Amenity Cards • Security alarm system • Fully furnished • Monitored alarm system • Full size washer & dryer • Sand volleyball court • Heated pool • Caged basketball court 4 Private balconies and patios universiTY COMMONS apartments 90 Commons Drive, Eugene, OR 97401 338-4000 A 1/2, & 4 Bedroom Apts* DIABL0S D0WNT0WN L0UNGE HALL0WPEN PARTY 3 DAYS III FEATURING miSTRESS 0F REALITY 0CT 3IST WIN A TRIP T® rriEXIC© Live music and dancing ALL WEEKEND PRIZES ALL WEEKEND L0NGIII 959 PEARL ST EUGENE, ©R WWWDIABU®SD©WNTeWN.Cem
