And how would Halloween look like for non Western Cultures?
BOO !
In the spirit of celebration, I hope this article is not too late to talk about this occasion that most Western Countries are commemorating right now:
Halloween.
I will be honest, I’m from a non Western culture, namely, from the Moroccan culture residing in North Africa, which is not concerned with Halloween. Yet, it seems that this occasion has transcended North America and Europe to appear here in Morocco. For instance, even though there are no kids roaming around playing the trick or treat in the evening, or carved pumpkins on the threshold of houses, public facilities such as malls do “celebrate” Halloween.
You’d guess it is for commerce, and I’d say “Good Point” . Yet, that does not stop me from asking:
Can non Western Cultures celebrate Halloween?
Now aside from the fun behind Halloween and all its festivities, this question seems rather controversial for “other” countries. In fact, there are way too many pressures to celebrate Halloween in Non Western Cultures; despite the occasion itself being seemingly nonreligious, and the wave of Americanization that has hit these countries at a social and an economical level, Non Western Cultures (such as Morocco), despite their multicultural diversity, celebrating Halloween proves as a very sensitive possibility that touches upon their cultural and historical identity. In addition to that, it looks like there is an extent to how much the history of the celebration can be overlooked. Hence, most Non-Western folks first response to this hypothetical probability would be: “What is Halloween?”
In this sense, it looks like if anyone, regardless of their culture, wants to celebrate Halloween for the fun of it, it wouldn’t be so difficult. The question is, then: To what extent can Halloween go international? In other words, in a world where globalization is becoming more and more widespread, and where the leading countries have so much social, educational and economical power over others, it has become crucial now more than anytime to stick to what defines a country from another.
The possibility of celebrating Halloween in Non Western Countries for other than commercial reasons remains very vague, and quite distant to manifest even in theory.
However, as far as the world and its cultures are concerned, it seems that if history cannot bring us together, the theme of death, feelings of mourning and connecting with the dead are primarily human experiences that bring both Western and Non Western cultures together.
According to the article “How Death Disappeared from Halloween” in the Washington Post by Victoria Elliott and Kevin McDonald (see reference below):
“Every other culture has a time set aside during the year where the dead visit,” said Sarah Chavez, executive director of the Order of the Good Death, a group of funeral industry professionals, academics and artists devoted to preparing a “death phobic culture for their inevitable mortality.” (The Washington Post, 2018)
Source: Elliot,V , McDonald, K. (2018). How Death Disappeared from Halloween. The Washington Post.
In this sense, it seems that Halloween is originally a tradition to celebrate mortality, and one that evokes the subject of death as an inevitable end that awaits human beings of all races and backgrounds. In the same flow, “Ashura”, a celebration commemorated by Muslims broadly, proves as a Non Western celebration that elicits the theme of death ”. For instance, in some parts of Islam, for Shia Muslims, Ashura is mainly a day of mourning.
In Morocco; however, Ashura is considered as more of a culural celebration than of a religious one. According to Moroccan World News (see reference below) :
“(…) many Moroccan practices during this holiday are not necessarily related to Islam and are more associated with Moroccan culture and heritage.” (Morocco World News,2020)
Source: Dardar,J .(2020). Ashura in Morocco: A Celebration with Unique Cultural Traditions. Morocco World News.
Yet, still with the theme of death, Ashura for some families in Morocco is celebrated by visiting their dead in the cemetery and reciting verses of the Quran to them. Also, aligning with the spookiness, and pranks of Holloween, Ashura in Morocco is celebrated through practices such as firecrackers (namely “Shaaeila”), and water-balloon throwing (namely “ZamZam”). For instance, in the Eve of Ashura, some youngsters venture as far as making a bonfire and lighting fires while humming to some Moroccan folkloric songs.
When it comes firecrackers, the authorities have issued a warning for their use due to the potential danger they are on the public. The water-balloon throwing, however, still remains. I remember how, back in high school, some teenagers used to pour water on each other in the school yard at the day of Ashura. Now that is another thing, Ashura is not a day off ! In the streets of ‘la Medina” (the popular side) of big cities in Morocco, you’d risk to get splashed by water if you happen to be there on this day!
Still, Ashura is used for commercial reasons. According to the article, Ashura: an Islamic festival or a commercial event, by Reda Benmalou in Morocco World News:
“This makes Ashura an opportunity for commercial benefit, in the same way that several religious festivals across the world have become commercialized. Store owners and street vendors alike use the opportunity to sell toys, traditional Moroccan sweets, and other merchandise appealing to children, who constitute their principal clientele during this joyous occasion.” (Morocco World News,2015)
Source: Benmalou,R. (2015). Ashura: An Islamic Festival or a Commercial Event. Morocco World News.
So, can Halloween be celebrated in Non-Western Countries?
Personally, No. It seems that, with or without Halloween going international, there is a certain authenticity in this occasion, despite it becoming less relatable to its actual history. This, then, makes me wonder about the becoming of such celebrations in the future: To what extent can Halloween persist as a celebration void of its original purpose? Will the next generation still commemorate it or will they give up on it like the many already dead indigenous traditions?
What is the future of Halloween?
Today, it seems that the world of commerce is using these human occasions to its favor. Some of us may feel saddened by that, and I think we are not to blame! When we hear of our parents telling us of how they “really” used to have fun on such days, I don’t think I’m the only one who, for one moment, wishes to have such experiences. At the end of the day, we do not remember the costume, the present, or the candy, but the memories we made with the costume, or by getting the candy.
What is our version of “the good old days”? What are we going to tell next generations? How will the humankind remember Halloween?
Last and not least, I wish you a Happy Halloween if you are celebrating it!
References:
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2018/10/31/how-death-disappeared-halloween/
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