SAMAIN IN GALICIA – 5 FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
The night of 31 October is approaching and you know what are we meaning…🎃🎃
In Galicia, the north-western side of Spain, as in many Celtic territories, the tradition of celebrating Halloween, known as “Samaín”, is appreciated.
CELEBRATION NIGHT
This is celebrated during the night of 31 October to 1 November, a night when it is easier to move between the two worlds: the one of the living and the one of the dead.
NAME OF “SAMHAIN”
Samaín was the origin of it all. In Gaelic, Samhain means “end of summer”, as the ancient Celts celebrated it at that time of transition from summer to winter. According to the Celts, the night of Samaín was the beginning of everything, when summer died and winter began.
CELEBRATION NIGHT
This is celebrated during the night of 31 October to 1 November, a night when it is easier to move between the two worlds: the one of the living and the one of the dead.
origin of it all. In Gaelic, Samhain means “end of summer”, as the ancient Celts celebrated it at that time of transition from summer to winter. According to the Celts, the night of Samaín was the beginning of everything, when summer died and winter began.
PREVIOUS TRADITION
Celtic priests, or druids, made food offerings to the deity Lug (Lugh or Lugus) in the sacred forests, opening a portal of communication with the ‘beyond world’. On their way to the forest, the Druids carried a hollow turnip with glowing coals inside it, representing the “spirit of universal fire” and giving them power. It was also traditional to light bonfires at different points in the villages to protect themselves from evil spirits.
SACRIFICES AND CUSTOMS
Neighbours used to disguise themselves in animal skins and heads to frighten or mislead the spectres, in the belief that they would pass them by, mistaking them for other beasts. It was also a tradition to perform numerous animal sacrifices.
TODAYS’ TRADITION
Although many people believe that the Samaín is a copy of American Halloween, the truth is that it is just the other way round, and it was the Irish who exported this date to the United States in the late nineteenth century. This is how they begin to make their own version of the celebration. Nowadays in Spain and many countries, “All Hollows” day is celebrated as a National bank holiday.
So… guys, in case you do not have any further plans for October 31st, here we can propose a good one, come and enjoy different kind of festivities among the area:
- Noite Meiga from Ribadavia
- Samaín in Cedeira
- Noite dos Calacús in Pontevedra