 All Saints, too known as All Hallows Day, indeed related to the spooky night of Halloween the night before, is celebrated by Christians around the globe. In most former Spanish Colonies, ofrendas (offerings) are made on this day. In Holland, Hungary and Italy folks bring flowers to the graves of dead relatives. In Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the former German Empire it is tradition to light candles and visits the graves of deceased relatives.
However in the Philippines, the whole day is spent visiting the graves of deceased relatives, where they offer prayers, lay flowers, and light candles as elaborate (bonga) as if Town Fiesta or Christmas. Complete with tons of good food, good music (including karaoke) in the good company of bagets and begets. As they say; if you wish to meet All Family, alive and dead, no matter how extended, visit the Philippines during All Saints.
This day All People eat too. Rich and poor, Forbes and Tondo, Smokey Mountain scavengers scavenge tombs discretely when all are gone, leaving superstitious Chinese at awe that ancestors did come and eat their food.
In the North, the emphasis is on Souls rather than Saints. Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum. Perhaps it was the harsh land that kept Ilocano with their feet on the ground.
Root awareness with gut-feelings. "Tend to your roots and you will harvest!"
Besides realistically Saints were in Heaven; hard to reach, souls they all had so that was more familiar. Certain popular beliefs connected with All Souls' Day are of pagan origin, an immemorial antiquity. The dead are believed by peasantry of many Catholic countries to return to their former homes on All Souls' Night and partake of the food of the living. In Austria, cakes are left for them on the table and the room kept warm for their comfort. In the U.K., people flock to the cemeteries at nightfall to kneel, bareheaded, at the graves of their loved ones, and to anoint the hollow of the tombstone with blessed water or to pour libations of favored drink on it.
At bedtime, the supper is left on the table for the souls. So leaving food for the dead is less Chinese than we all thought. In Bolivia, many people believe that the dead eat the food that is left out for them. Some claim that the food is gone or partially consumed in the morning. Bolivia must have Smokey Mountains too.
But whatever the chosen day, November 1 or 2, be it Saints with Souls or Souls like Saints, it is good to commemorate ancestors at least once a year as they are the root of our own existence, we owe them. - Henk J. van der Vaart.
|