In the story, the narrator describes a tale told by his clever and gregarious un-named uncle, as they return from ‘Dary M’Aullif’s wake.’ In his recount, the narrator notes: With this context set, one of first descriptions of the character of the Jack-o’-Lantern comes from a story in the Dublin Penny Journal, written in 1834. These ghostly (and ghastly) faces would light the revellers way. What is crucial about Samhain cultural rituals, is the creation of carved turnips, potatoes or other similar vegetables into makeshift lanterns lit with candles or coals. ![]() These roving bands of party-makers are the origin story for another aspect of our modern Halloween ‘Trick or Treating,’ but that’s a story for another time. Samhain would traditionalyl include feasts, games and ritual roving around the community in search of food and drink. In parallel to these glowing marsh lights, it is a long held tradition of many Gaelic communities to celebrate the ancient ritual Samhain, a yearly festival that marks the first day of winter in the Northern latitudes. With this more fantastical explanation came a different set of names, including ‘Will-o’-the-wisp’ and ‘Jack-of-the-lantern.’ The scientific name for this phenomena is ’ignis fatuus.’ However, the rural peoples of Ireland had a very different explanation that these lights were fantastical creatures determined to lead travellers from sure paths to their doom in the marshy waters. One of the first strands of the modern behaviour starts with the marshy fenlands of Ireland, specifically the production of marsh gasses and the flickering lights these cause. However, underneath the pumpkin, is the deeper question, has our modern incarnation of the story lost something crucial on the way? Lights in the mist and Samhain Would it surprise you to know that this pumpkin carving tradition was a very different proposition only a few hundred years ago? The backstory of the Jack-o’-Lantern is a strange evolution of many facets, including: a superstitious rural myth, a morality story, and a global immigration. ![]() One of the now celebrated traditions-within-tradition is the Jack-o’-Lantern, which includes carving a ghoulish face into an inedible pumpkin, grown solely for the purpose and then lighting the face from from within, using candles. Each year, millions of children all over the world celebrate various versions of Halloween, dressing up in costumes, enjoying spooky stories and eating far too many treats. No matter where they start, it’s a story’s voracious ability to rapidly mutate and evolve, that keeps them alive, in changing form, as the years go by.Ĭonsider Halloween. They aren’t as permanent as pot-shards left behind on vast middens, or rusted weapons entombed with their owners in underground crypts. ![]() Stories are some of our most fascinating cultural socio-cultural artefacts.
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