Halloween, the most popular unofficial holiday in American culture, but what does it mean?
Fall, commonly known as the best time of the year, must have the best holidays as well, logic. As soon as October hits, “Spooky Season” commences with pumpkins, apples, costumes, candy, alcohol, and Instagram, working into the grand finale of Halloween.
But the October 31st celebrations are just the beginning for that holidays that Halloween has borrowed from. Similar to Christmas Eve, All Hallows Eve is the precursor to the Christian holidays All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Originating in Mexico, October 31st begins the three-day celebrations known collectively as the Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The official Día de los Muertos is on the last day, November 2nd.
A common trait for American holidays is the combining of different historical traditions to form one mega-capitalist holiday, often forgetting that which it has borrowed. Halloween takes influence from different cultures, both Christian and Pagan. On the Pagan side is Samhain, a Gaelic festival of the harvest to celebrate the upcoming darker half of the year. On the Roman-Catholic side is the combination of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day, the first and second of November respectively. All Saints’ celebrates the relationship of those in heaven and those still bound on Earth, ending with a feast ingratitude towards the Christian martyrs. All Souls Day reminisces those who have passed altogether, with rituals in the cemeteries taking place, and soul cakes made for children and as offerings.
If anyone has seen Coco, it is obvious the similarities between All Saints’ Day and Día de Los Muertos. Despite being colonized and having a new religion being forced upon them, the Aztecs have had celebrations of the dead around this time of year long before being colonized. Día de Los Muertos is mainly a common Mexican holiday, but it is celebrated by other Hispanic cultures and communities.
One such combination of Latinx communities is the Prospectus’s designer, Cameron Alagna.
They come from both Mexican and Puerto Rican parents and for their combined family, Día de Los Muertos is an important and much looked forward to holiday. “This holiday is by far my favorite because of the stories of love and loss, all of which are beautiful. Most importantly, the stories we share emphasize the celebration of life,” Cameron explained.
For them, a Día de Los Muertos celebration starts and ends as a big party. They all make food and bring offerings to their past loved ones on an ofrenda (a home altar). The marigold is a famous offering for this holiday, representing life’s beauty and staying grounded on the way back home from the afterlife. Cameron always leaves lilies for their great-great-grandmother, which were her favorite.
Flowers are beautiful, but nothing celebrates life like food! Food can range from very traditional to casual: pan dulce (every sweet tooth’s favorite), pork feet, carne asada, concha’s, Arroz con duce, and fried pickles (their late grandfather’s favorite). What’s a party without dancing? Cameron wears a folklórico dress and skull makeup, dancing with their great-great huelita, who’s so happy to have pan dulce again.
Having a tradition like this is very important to those it comes from, and representation is key to that respect. Remember, a human’s culture that comes from years of practice, love, and respect is not a costume.
Coco has paved the way to exploring Día de Los Muertos, but Parkland has been supporting the holiday since all the way back in 2007. Amber Landis, used to be the faculty advisor to Club Latino, where they would put together celebrations similar but tamer than Cameron’s. Landis is a professor in comparative literature, so she is an expert in different cultures, their history and how they compare to those in America. Landis now heads the International Students Association (ISA) at Parkland, where she says, “Respecting and incorporating other cultures and their holidays is one important goal of ours.” For more information about the ISA, they meet on Thursdays, 12-1, in room X 148, or contact Amber Landis at alandis@parkland.edu.
Halloween is truly an American holiday, a combination pot of candy: KitKats, M&M’s, Reeses, Sour Patch Kids, and more. Imagine if we only got one piece candy on Halloween night, there would be a riot. If Halloween came only from one culture, it wouldn’t be the same as it is today. When trick-or-treating, dressing up, or going out to bars, remember and be grateful to all those from whom we have borrowed. Give thanks to their spirits as they have done with their ancestors for centuries.
