What is Halloween and why do people celebrate it?

In some Western and Asian countries, if you go out after sunset on October 31, you will see spider webs, human skeletons and carved heads from pumpkins on the doorsteps of houses.

The large eye-like holes in these pumpkins and the light visible from between the teeth are making the environment more frightening and it often feels as if you have suddenly seen a ghost, witch or demon.

But there is no need to run away after seeing these things because this is the festival of Halloween. The real basis of the festival of Halloween is centuries-old traditions, legends and mysterious stories.

Nowadays, people wear scary costumes on Halloween, carve pumpkins and turn them into scary faces, and go trick-or-treating.

Halloween actually originated in Ireland. However, many countries around the world claim to have turned Halloween into an international festival. 👇

Why are pumpkins carved and given scary shapes?

Due to famine in Ireland, Irish refugees began to migrate to other countries of the world in the 19th century, and these people brought the Halloween festival with them. When these traditions reached America, they were modernized there and pumpkins replaced turnips. In Ireland, pumpkins were not carved to make scary faces, but turnips were used instead.

The game of trick-or-treating associated with Halloween also took its modern form after coming to America. Now children around the world knock on doors and call out to people ‘trick and treat’, that is, asking them if they want to be saved by giving them chocolate and candies or if they want to be the target of some mischief.

County Meath: The Hill of Ward

The most important claim regarding the birth of Halloween is made by the people of County Meath in Ireland, and this is where the place called The Hill of Ward is located.

It is said that this is the place where the celebration of Saun began. Saun is the time when the harvest is complete and the winter season begins after autumn.

During the celebration of Saun, Celtic people light fires and guide the spirits coming from the spirit world.

This festival is celebrated in the same way all over Ireland, but the bonfire lit in County Meath is the largest in terms of its size.

Dr Steve Davies, an archaeologist from the University of Dublin, was part of a team that spent the summer in County Meath in 2014. He told the BBC in 2014 that ‘there are few places in Ireland that we can compare to the Hill of Ward.’

‘It is a magical and mysterious place.’

According to him, they have found evidence at the site that shows that fires were lit here.

‘This place is associated with fire. Even medieval writings indicate that an annual fire festival was held here.’

Sauna Festival and the ‘Gate to Hell’

According to the Celts, the festival of Sauna has been celebrated for the past two thousand years. They believe that during this time the distance between the world and the spirit world is at its lowest.

It is also said that on the night of Saun, spirits roam the earth and the Celtic people burn fires to drive away the demons in these spirits.

Derry is another city in Ireland where people claim that Halloween has its roots in them. Derry celebrates Halloween with great fanfare and the city has become so famous that people come from far and wide to celebrate the holiday.

Halloween in Derry is celebrated with parades, fireworks and storytelling. The festival of Saun may not have originated in Derry, but the city has kept the festival alive to this day.

Sheep are found in large numbers in Roscommon County, Ireland, and people believe that this is the original birthplace of the festival of Halloween.

The cave that is called the ‘Gate of Hell’ in Ireland is also located here. It is located in the ancient area of ​​Rathkroshan and there are about 240 sites here that date back 5,500 years.

Local archaeologist Daniel Curley told the BBC in 2022 that ‘about 2,000 years ago, the locals here believed that this door between the two worlds opened on October 31.’

Thinking about the thinking of the locals, he adds that ‘they thought that ghosts and diseases came through this door with the goddess Morrigan.’

‘The locals stay in their homes during this time, fearing that demons from the other world might take them with them.’

According to Daniel Curley, ‘If you have to go out, you should change your clothes and wear a mask so that you are not recognized.’

‘This way you will be able to escape and you will not be dragged into the other world.’