Remembering the Dead on All Saint’s Day

Candles burning images from Flickr

Did you go to the cemetery today because today is All Saints Day or the Day of the Dead. When I was still in the Philippines  I usually go to the cemetery to pay my respect to my dead  grandfathers and other relatives. But sometimes it was possible for me to go to my province I would light some candles and say a little prayer while remembering all my dead relatives which I also doing even since I live in Denmark.  But I will tell you a little of what I can remember about this tradition in the Philippines.

Every November 1,  Filipinos celebrates All Saints Day to commemorate or remember their dearly beloved departed  members of their family.  But it is also customary to go to the cemetery before November 1 so they can clean and paint the tombs to prepare for the big day. Millions of Filipinos  flocks to the cemeteries bringing candles and flowers to their dead relatives. Others brings foods, fruits and sweets and this traditions came from Filipinos with chinese ancestry. The parish priest go around the tombs and pray for the souls of the dead to forgive their sins when they were alive. This traditions originates from the Roman Catholic tradition during the old times but now it’s almost celebrated even by non catholics. This tradition is not scary but festive some kind of Family Picnic. It shows the Filipinos respect for family even though they are already dead and this is also the time for unofficial family reunions. Time to catch up with relatives and meet relatives you never knew. Coming from a small village I particularly loves to hear the stories about those people on the tombs and how we are related to them.

My grandfather on my father side of the family died before I was born but I can remember that we visited his tomb  yearly and we enjoyed it. That’s the time when we see all kinds of candles especially those big red candles with dragons which were brought by my uncle from Manila, they bought it from China Town in Binondo. It is from 2-6 cm in diameter thick and half meter long with Golden Dragon which we wait until it melts so we can collect the wax and make balls so we can later use as a floor shine.

We have a tradition in our province where the priest goes from house to house a week before Nov.1 and say a prayer for all  the  dead and I can remember that time that we should write all the names of our departed relatives.  The priest  is accompanied by the elders who can recite prayers in Latin.  The prayers helps the  the souls to go up in heaven if they are in the purgatory. Purgatory is where the soul stay before they go  to Heaven. If some of the living remembers them some of their sins will be forgiven. Well ok that’s a little bit hard for non catholic to understand but it will be nice that even if you’re dead that somebody still can remember you and include you in their prayers.

In Pangasinan we also have some kind of trick or treat tradition but with a different twist. On the eve of November 1 a group of young people go from house to house and songs they render and the house owner offer them sweets and rice cakes. There is also group make fun they steal something during the dawn and later they return it. But usually it is eggs or chickens since it was normal  to chicken in the provinces in the old-time. But that was long time ago I think  this tradition had been replaced by party and karaoke  singing with the Magic Sing Karaoke machine.

Jack o Lantern from Google Images

In Denmark they used to  celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 and All souls Day the next Day since Catholicism was prevalent in the old days. During the reformation period it became just a day that was November 1 and that has remained up to the presence. But the young people are slowly adopting the American tradition of Halloween or actually it was a European tradition since the Scottish and the Irish who brought that Halloween tradition to North America. This is  making a Jack o Lantern where they carve a pumpkin and put a lantern or candle inside and while children wears different scary outfit like for example witches, vampires etc. This new tradition just started out in the 1990′s brought by watching American sitcoms or TV series. But this time is good time for the shops especially the Flower shops who sells flowers, candles, squash or pumpkins.

Young people think of Halloween as the time to party like my classmates in Copenhagen where party  theme  was to come in Smurfs costumes and you can’t believe how creative they were. Well I did not went to that party because I am with my family and when there is 10 to 15 years age difference it is too hard to for me cope with craziness, drinking and smoking but I do attend class party once in a while. They are still some Danes who visit the graveyards and bring candles and flowers like we do in the Philippines but without fanfare.

Like in Denmark, Urbanites (those who lives in the Metropolitan) in the Philippines who belongs to the upper class are already practicing the Americans Halloween’s traditions. I remember when I was still working in the construction industry and we visit our projects in the  plush  Villages in Metro Manila, the streets of the high-end subdivisions for example Ayala Alabang Village, you will often see  displays of various Halloween themes and children’s dressed in various customs doing treat or treat. But it is not yet widespread because who can afford those expensive costumes and effects but only those on the higher status of the society.

Many people thought that tradition like Christmas and Halloween as a product of commercialism it is obviously true but it is op to us parents to decide what kind of traditions we gonna pass to our children.

Traditions tell us stories and describes  what kind of  beliefs or what are behavior of the people but sometimes they comes and goes but for sure they come back with a different twist.

How about you how do you celebrate Halloween?