Ground Zero and Halloween
After America was shocked by the September 11 attacks, its people reacted by uniting against foreign threats. Back then, the nation was getting lost in the globalization mix, but resurfaced into world view after the events of September 11.
Halloween after 9/11
People started looking at Halloween in different ways after 9/11. As America and the rest of the world recoiled from the carnage of that day, people began to think that Halloween should take a more somber time, one in which the people who lost their lives would be remembered.
Soon people treated Halloween in much the same way as Christians celebrated the day that closely followed it — All Souls’ Day. People began to reflect on life and remember their departed loved ones, a swift 180-degree turn from the corporatist image that Halloween had been getting.
What was it like, back then?
When we listen to Halloween scholars and historians, we’ll learn that Halloween never revolved around candy and costume parties and booze. Halloween was one of the seasons most representative of human emotion — something quite lost in society today.
Originally, Halloween celebrated life. It was the season of looking back and remembering the people who have gone ahead of us. By looking and learning from the past, people would be better able to face the future.
Continuity
Continuity is such a strong thematic for Halloween, even if people don’t realize it. Continuity is important because the thematic of death is not a terminal point; what precedes death is also the continuation of the process.
When people appreciate death, they also begin to appreciate life even more than before. Life doesn’t end with death — if it did, then there wouldn’t be any need for tombs and memorials. Celebrating the fact that life goes on is done by thinking about what happens after death. Knowing that there’s an eternity waiting for everyone after death can make an intuitive person richer and more hopeful.
Dia de los Muertos
A festival of mourning might sound paradoxical. However, in many cultures outside the white, homogenous borders of the United States, death was something that should be taught and remembered through ritual and ceremony.
For instance, the Dia de los Muertos is an official time of mourning in the Rio Grande. This is the time where people mourned and revisited the memories of relatives who have passed away. It’s sad to note that we only think about death when something tragic happens. Unlike other cultures, we don’t have a very good understanding and appreciation of things related or relating to death.
In the case of the tragic events of September 11, some Americans have looked outward for answers. Because it seems that Corporate America had forgotten how to completely mourn something so tragic.
When can we truly appreciate the real essence of Halloween? Can we still change the misconceptions that have clouded Halloween? Only the future can tell. Perhaps people will soon appreciate that there is a deeper and richer essence to this celebration.
It’s possible to change Halloween into something more profound, even if it will take some time. But when the day comes, we can finally enjoy Halloween the way it was truly meant to be enjoyed.
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