CHALLENGE 2 - Halloween Facts Webpage
Choose 1-3 paragraphs below to build your own spooky webpage about unusual Halloween traditions from around the UK.
Samhain, meaning ‘summer’s end’ in Irish and pronounced ‘sarwin’, was for the ancient Celts the beginning of the year and the beginning of winter. It was celebrated from sunset on 31 October to sunset on November 1st. The Celts believed that on this night the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its weakest, and so evil spirits would cross over. To keep these spirits at bay, masks were worn, bells were rung, certain green plants were put on front doors and fires were lit.
Apple bobbing (known as ‘dooking’ in Scotland and ‘ducking’ in northern England) was a popular Halloween game in Britain from the time of the Roman occupation, and even today some households still play ‘bobbing for apples’ at Halloween. Take a large bucket of water and place some apples in it. Then kneel over the bucket and, with your arms behind your back, try to retrieve the apples with your mouth.
An old custom in Britain up to the early 19th century, was the ‘fire straw’. Farmers would go out on Halloween night into their fields carrying a bunch of straw. This flaming torch would be wafted about while chanting spells to ward off evil spirits. In Scotland, the spell would be performed by waving a burning stick about in the air representing the red berry of the rowan tree which was thought to repel witches.
An old Halloween tradition in the coastal village of Cullen, Northern Scotland, saw youngsters doing something a bit different to apple bobbing – they’d play football! They would descend on the sandy beaches of the bay and play football, have running races, and play other active games. A piper led them from the village down into the bay. The winner would be crowned and everyone would return to the village for a big party.
In Wales, it was on Nos Calan Gaeaf or All-Hallows Eve that the ghosts of the dead were to be seen at midnight on every stile. In different parts of Wales these ghosts took on different characters but two of the most common were the ladi wen [white lady] and the tail-less black sow [hwch ddu gwta]. As Halloween bonfires died down, people feared the appearance of the black sow and would chant verses such as:
Adref, adref am y cynta’, Hwch Ddu Gwta a gipio’r ola’
Be sure you are the first at home, the tail-less black sow is sure to roam.