In the part of the world that I grew up, there was no such
thing as Halloween. What we did have was Guy Fawkes, All Saints Day and All
Soul’s Day. Three completely different celebrations, if you can call them that
that.
So, who is Guy Fawkes AKA Guido Fawkes? He was an English conspirator whose failed attempt to kill King James and blow up the house of parliament in the 17th century, is celebrated on November 5th. The day is celebrated with bonfires and effigies of the man himself. These are usually made of straw or cloth and are thrown on the fire. My recollection of this day is that much alcohol is involved.
All Saints Day and All Souls Day, run from October 31st
through November 02nd. All Saints Day is celebrated on November 01st.
It is a Catholic holiday commemorating the saints. People celebrate by lighting
candles and going to church. It is also a day that many clean up the graves of
loved ones and bring flowers to cemeteries. Many spend the day conversing with the
dearly departed.
All Souls Day is probably the closest day to Halloween that
I recollect. Devout Catholics believe that on November 2nd we celebrate
the dead; those who committed lesser sins and linger in purgatory (a place not exactly
hell or heaven.)
November 01st and 02nd are also days
of Jumbie Le Go (Jumbie Let go); days that struck the fear of God into both
children and adults on the island where I grew up. Hearing the name ‘jumbie” still
strikes the fear of God in me. Allegedly, the one sure way to keep theses ghosts
away is to sprinkle salt around your home.
Given all the above, I look forward to celebrating Halloween and seeing all those fun/scary costumes. Calls of Trick or Treat, will be fun in comparison to wondering whether a jumbie will appear from under my bed the moment the lights go off.
Happy Halloween!
About
Marcia King-Gamble
USA
bestselling romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean
Island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former
travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A
National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She
has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator
on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards. Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in
relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her
animal family keeps her grounded and sane.
Visit Marcia
at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS
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6 comments:
Wow! I've never heard of "Jumbie Le Go" before. Learning about different customs enriches our lives. Here's wishing you a large bag of salt to sprinkle around your home!
What an interesting post! Where I grew up on Guam in the Marianas Islands, people believed in TaoTaomonas, described as zombie ghosts or evil spirits. Many people believe the original meaning of TaoTaomonas was good ancestral spirits that helped people do their daily tasks. The Spanish Catholic conquest corrupted local beliefs.
Do you think that happened on your island, too?
Thank you Judith. These stories used to scare the crap out of me when I was little. Roads were not very well lit on the islands and as a child especially around that time of year, I dreaded darkness.
Sarah, I often forget where you grew up. So interesting how every culture has its superstitions. Most people on my island are not Catholics (though I happen to be one) so I don't think catholicism affected the way people think. As one writer who grew up on the island put it, electronics and the Internet played a role in doing away with these ghost stories.
I grew up on Guam as my Sister Sarah did.
What I remember are the stories of the TaoTaomonas being believed in my a great many locals. Catholic or not my high school class mates still "believed".
There were stories of people walking on the road along side the jungle and hearing loud crashing footsteps following in the jungle.
When we first moved there I thought of Tao Taomonas as being Guam's equivalent of 'big foot'. Often heard but not seen so much.
Well Diane, many claimed to see these jumbies. The descriptions of them are all over the place, from headless to lights flashing from the eyes. One woman claimed that everytime her motorcycle rounded "Jumbie Corner" her headlight failed and then went back on. Made for scary stuff growing up.
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