Noć vještica starija je nego što mislite: Evo otkuda potječe i koja priča stoji iza bundeva
Noć vještica proteklih je godina postala vrlo popularna i kod nas. Obilježava se 31. listopada, odnosno na dan prije blagdana Svih svetih, a karakteriziraju ju izrezbarene bundeve sa svijetlom unutra te maskiranje u najčešće strašne kostime. Zanimljivo je, zapravo, da većina tih običaja za Noć vještica potječe još od starih kelta.
Foto: Unsplash
Dan 31. listopada za neke predstavlja najstrašniji dan u godini. Tada je, naime, Noć vještica (Halloween) koja je oduvijek bila isprepletena misterioznim ritualima i pričama o duhovima, čarobnjacima i zlim silama. Dok nas obavija ‘magija’ te noći, zaronimo duboko u prošlost kako bismo otkrili korijene ovog šarenog i strašnog praznika.
Za Noć vještica zaslužni su – kelti
Povijest. Noći vještica seže unatrag tisućama godina, a njeni korijeni duboko uronjeni u drevne kulture. Najraniji tragovi proslave nalaze se u proslavi keltske nove godine, Samhain-u, koji također obilježava početak zime. Samhain je bio vrijeme kada su granice između svijeta živih i mrtvih bile iznimno tanke, a duhovi su se, vjerovalo se, slobodno kretali među ljudima. Kelti su stoga palili vatre i nosili kostime kako bi odbili zle duhove i zaštitili svoje obitelji.
Nekoliko stoljeća kasnije, Rimski osvajači donijeli su svoje tradicije u Britansko otočje, a tijekom vremena, stari keltski obredi spojili su se s rimskim obredima posvećenim bogu Pomoni, bogu voća i sjemena. Ova sinteza stvorila je temelje za suvremenu Noć vještica. S druge strane, Papa Grgur III. proglasio je 1. studenog Danom svih svetih, a noć prije postala je poznata kao All Hallows Eve (noć uoči Svih svetih), što je kasnije skraćeno u Halloween.
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A što je s bundevom i maskiranjem?
Nije tajna da je jedan od najprepoznatljivijih simbola Noći vještica – bundeva. Njezina povijest vuče korijene iz irske legende o ‘Jacku O’Lanternu’. Prema toj priči, Jack je bio pohlepni i lukavi farmer koji je prevario vraga. Kad je Jack umro, nije mu dopušteno ući ni u raj ni u pakao te je bio osuđen na beskrajno lutanje noću s tek jednom svjetiljkom, koja je bila svjetlucava bundeva s izrezanim licem. Ova priča postala je temelj za izradu svjetiljki od bundeva uoči Noći vještica.
No, Noć vještica, kakvu je danas poznajemo, stigla je u Sjevernu Ameriku s europskim doseljenicima u 18. stoljeću. Tijekom godina, promijenili su se oblik i karakter proslave, postajući sve više usmjereniji na zabavu i društvene događaje. U Americi je bundeva postala omiljeni simbol Noći vještica, a rezanje bundeva kako bi se stvorile šarene svjetiljke postao je tradicionalni običaj.
Još jedan ključni element Noći vještica je svakako i maskiranje. Za razliku od priče o bundevi, tu nema puno toga za reći. Ljudi su se nekada maskirali kako bi se sakrili od zlih duhova, ali to je s vremenom postalo oblik zabave koja ih potiče da utjelove svoje najluđe fantazije, strahove i slično.
English
Halloween is older than you think: Here’s where it came from and the story behind the pumpkin
October 31, 2023
All-rounder
Matej Markovinović
A- A+
Halloween has become very popular here in recent years. It is celebrated on October 31, i.e. the day before All Saints’ Day, and is characterized by carved pumpkins with lights inside and disguises in mostly scary costumes. Interestingly, in fact, most of these Halloween customs date back to the ancient Celts.
Photo: Unsplash
For some, October 31st is the scariest day of the year. Then, namely, Halloween, which has always been intertwined with mysterious rituals and stories about ghosts, sorcerers and evil forces. While we are surrounded by the ‘magic’ of that night, let’s dive deep into the past to discover the roots of this colorful and scary holiday.
The Celts are responsible for Halloween
History. Halloween dates back thousands of years, and its roots are deeply rooted in ancient cultures. The earliest traces of the celebration are found in the Celtic New Year celebration, Samhain, which also marks the beginning of winter. Samhain was a time when the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead were extremely thin, and spirits were believed to move freely among people. The Celts therefore lit fires and wore costumes to ward off evil spirits and protect their families.
A few centuries later, the Roman conquerors brought their traditions to the British Isles, and over time, the old Celtic rites merged with the Roman rites dedicated to the god Pomona, the god of fruit and seeds. This synthesis created the foundation for modern Halloween. On the other hand, Pope Gregory III. declared November 1 All Hallows’ Day, and the night before became known as All Hallows Eve, which was later shortened to Halloween.
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And what about pumpkin and masking?
It’s no secret that one of the most recognizable symbols of Halloween is the pumpkin. Its history has its roots in the Irish legend of ‘Jack O’Lantern’. According to that story, Jack was a greedy and cunning farmer who tricked the devil. When Jack died, he was not allowed to enter either Heaven or Hell and was condemned to endlessly wander the night with only one lamp, which was a glittering pumpkin with a carved face. This story became the basis for making pumpkin lanterns on the eve of Halloween.
But Halloween as we know it today arrived in North America with European settlers in the 18th century. Over the years, the form and character of the celebration has changed, becoming more and more focused on entertainment and social events. In America, the pumpkin has become a favorite symbol of Halloween, and carving pumpkins to create colorful lanterns has become a traditional custom.
Another key element of Halloween is certainly masking. Unlike the pumpkin story, there isn’t much to say. People used to wear masks to hide from evil spirits, but over time it has become a form of entertainment that encourages them to act out their wildest fantasies, fears, and the like.
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