It must be all the sugar. How else to explain the visceral and vituperative reaction by so many otherwise mild-mannered citizens to the arrival of October 31, otherwise known as Halloween? I prefer to call it All Hallows’ Eve, and it’s a tradition that I love, but we’ll get to that.
That deep and unreconstructed vein of anti-Americanism in Australia that seems to coexist quite knowingly with an equally deep vein of happy pro-Americanism was knotting itself into a DVT of rage on Thursday. On News Breakfast a large number of viewers were not happy that this day was even being mentioned: Halloween was just cheap American commercialism, went the complaints, and had no connection to our culture. Where was the festival of Ned Kelly? And what does begging for lollies have to do with it?
So much anger; so many questions. Let’s try to take them in order.
First, a history lesson. As anyone with even a little religion in their background will know, the day of remembering those near and dear who have departed for a better place, All Souls’ Day, is a central part of the calendar – the night before All Saints’ Day. Before the idea of one single god came along, this day was simply an article of faith for pagan worship, with feasting and celebration at the end of harvest (hence the pumpkins) and before the long, cold winter set in – a time of death.
Over many centuries, as these things always go, different elements of celebration and commemoration become combined into the one: hence the tradition of keeping vigil for lost souls becomes combined with harvest festival, which mixes with the ancient English custom of knocking at doors to beg for a shortbread known as “soul cake”, in return for which beggars promise to pray for the dead of the household.
And as anyone who has travelled to Latin American countries will know, the Day of the Dead is a big deal and a hell of a festival, and its influence on the American tradition of Halloween is immeasurable. Here is where the party bit comes in. And the skeletons. And the dressing up.
Which brings us up to the present day, just add the usual marketing and commercial opportunities that any quasi-religious festival brings.
Halloween can also be a really terrific community, neighborhood event where – for once – you see children happily walking the street, often with parents, visiting houses and celebrating their connection to each other with costumes, sweetmeats and the kind of excitement that only children can ever bring to a high holiday.
Which only leaves the Ned Kelly festival question begging, and I must admit this culturally purist argument really does bewilder me.
Apart from this country clearly being able to celebrate many different kinds of traditions and festivals at one time, I really don’t understand the resentment of a tradition that hasn’t grown exclusively from the red earth of the Australian desert. Christmas certainly didn’t; nor Easter. And those Christians who came to this country, bringing that tradition with them, would have had an equally strong connection to the All Souls remembrance from which modern-day Halloween has grown.
On News Breakfast some were suggesting that we had a greater connection to Guy Fawkes night and that it should be brought back: but how is a failed English assassination plot from 1604 more meaningful than Halloween?
In the end it seems to me the anger over Halloween all comes back to an anti-American resentment that many Australians just can’t get past. I’m sure they have their reasons, but to them I say … it’s just a few lollies. And pumpkins. And some truly fascinating human history.
And for a laugh: www.newyorker.com/humor/2011/10/24
Virginia Trioli is co-host of ABC News Breakfast on ABC1 and ABC News 24, 6-9am weekdays.
Follow Virginia on Twitter @latrioli
