HALLOWEEN
HALLOWEEN AROUND THE WORLD CONT .
HAITI
JAPAN
Japan - Halloween
Halloween wasn ’ t actually celebrated in Japan until the year 2000 when it debuted at Tokyo Disneyland , and since then it ’ s taken on a life of its own – in true Japanese style . Although the Japanese place little importance on American Halloween traditions like trick-or-treating , where our larger-than-life friends across the pond might wear typical costumes from a fancy dress shop ( Scream mask , anyone ?), the Japanese go all out with high quality cosplay outfits that range from cute to absolutely petrifying . The night-time celebrations burst out onto the streets in a terrifying rush of manic zombie runs , flash mobs and street parties . But the coolest of all the festivities are their Halloween trains - on October 31 , the clinical tranquillity of Japan ’ s trains is taken over by the madness of the day and they ’ re converted into noisy , scary and brilliant venues for all-night Halloween bashes .
Haiti - Fet Gede
Fet Gede , the Festival of the Dead , has all the energy of Halloween tradition , but with a completely different cultural backdrop . On November 1 and 2 , Haitian practitioners of Voodoo - Vodouisants - pay their respects to Baron Samedi , the father of deceased spirits . Vodouisants dance in the streets to commune with their dead and wander through graveyards where they ‘ feed ’ their ancestors with food from their own table . Often described as the Voodoo equivalent of a combination of Mexican celebration Día de Los Muertos and Halloween because of the upbeat atmosphere commemorating deceased family members , Fet Gede is a vibrant cultural tradition held throughout the country .
Italy - La Festa di Ognissanti
In Italy , Halloween customs are rooted in ancient traditions and the La Festa di Ognissanti , or Hallowmas , is a big deal . November 1 is All Saints ’ Day , the first day of Hallowmas , which celebrates the Catholic saints and during which Italians spend time with their families and exchange gifts . November 2 is All Souls ’ Day , a commemoration of deceased loved ones , where families leave colourful chrysanthemums on the graves of loved ones , attend a requiem mass for the dead and feast together . In ancient Rome , beans were used in funerary rites because it was believed that they housed the souls of the dead , so cookies called Fave dei Morti – beans of the dead - are offered throughout the festivities .
Portugal - Dia das Bruxas
Dia das Bruxas , or Day of the Witches , is the equivalent of Halloween in Portugal . The holiday
shares many of its traditional roots with Halloween - trick-or-treating is a staple of Dia das Bruxas , for example , but children ask for bread , fruits , or nuts instead of sweets . Families also visit the graves of ancestors passed on the Day of the Witches , adorning them with flowers and candles to honour their ancestors .
Poland - Zaduszki
One of the most important family holidays in Poland , Zaduszki sees people all over Poland gather to visit the graves of their loved ones and throughout the country , cemeteries glow with lights . Many of the folk traditions surrounding Zaduszki have ancient pagan roots and according to old beliefs , during this time the spirits of forefathers come to inhabit our world once more . Not disturbing or angering the forefathers was considered very important , so if water or waste had to be thrown on the ground , a word of warning had to be uttered to alert the invisible spirits . Not undertaking any work and going to bed early was also preferable during this time so as to not interfere with the spirits going about their daily business . Instead , food and other items were prepared for the forefathers , and feasts were held among the living as well . The dead were said to attend a special mass during the night , where no living persons were allowed to be present .
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