Cape Town Magazine recently posted a list of “Things to Do This Halloween in Cape Town”, showing how this Americanised holiday is growing in popularity and gaining momentum in South Africa. But we are not quite there yet.
The Christian Action Network, an organisation which seeks to work for reformation and revival, says Halloween is evil.
“Christians did not celebrate Halloween, because of its occult origins. It celebrates death and demons and it makes children curious about the occult,” says Taryn Hodgson, international co-ordinator for the organisation.
“Despite concerns among some Catholics and other Christians in recent years about the ‘pagan origins’ of Halloween, there really are none,” writes Scott Richert, the executive editor of Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, in his article “Should Catholics Celebrate Halloween”.
“We have no real tradition out here [in South Africa] on Halloween. The Archdiocese of Cape Town has no policy on it, but we follow the policy of the Catholic Church in the UK and US on it,” says Father Clifford Stokes, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Cape Town.
After speaking to a few friends and consulting a religious group, it became clear to me that many people think that Halloween is evil. To which my response was, “bullshit”. I am one of those Christians who believe that October 31st should be a day where South Africans can dress up in scary costumes, play games and share sweets or pumpkin pie.
As I child I remember being exposed to the tradition by watching films like The Addams Family and Beetlejuice. I was always fascinated by the ghoulish costumes and trick-or-treating and wondered why we did not celebrate it in South Africa.
’Tis the season to be scared silly – what better way to celebrate this tradition than by watching horror movies inspired by the sugar-induced holiday, like Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Cabin in the Woods, The Blair Witch Project, Friday the 13th, The Addams Family. Muhahahahaaa!
But first, a bit of background
“Hallow” means to make holy. As a noun it means “holy” or “sanctified”. Halloween is an annual celebration on October 31st, on the eve of the Christian feast All Hallows, the day before All Saints’ Day on November 1st.
Halloween fetishes in the USA – go big or go home
In the spirit of all things ghoulish, Americans decorate their homes and gardens with frightening props such as fake blood, guts and severed limbs – like Thing, the disembodied hand from The Addams Family. They also visit haunted houses for a blood-curdling thrill.
Every October 31st people send their children out with a costume and bag and they go over to the neighbours, knock on their door and say, “Trick-or-treat!”, followed by a generous helping of sweets. Yum!
One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the US is purchased for Halloween, according to History.com.
Halloween – why we should jump on the wagon
Just as National Braai Day became an extension of Heritage Day celebrations, so too we can embrace the spirit of Halloween in all its sweet-toothed glory. Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day but not Halloween? Surely there is place for both on our calendar.
The October 31st should be devoted to celebrating all the scares and trills of Halloween and I urge South Africans to do just that.
And while it is not safe for children to go out after dark taking sweets from strangers, the best way to celebrate this holiday is by creating a family bonding opportunity. Better yet, use it as an opportunity to do good – raise funds or gather food and treats for the less fortunate. In the spirit of the festive season, Halloween should be about bringing people together and being merry.
A wave of Halloween fever hits the Mother City
Cape Town Magazine’s October issue provides a “go-to-guide ‘of all things ghoulish happening in Cape Town, from ghost hunting and costumed jols to horror films and a murder mystery dinner party!’”.
Some of these events include the 2013 Cape Town Zombie Walk (26 October), South African Horror Film Festival (30 October – 8 November), 5FM’s Zombie Apocalypse: Halloween Party at Tiger Tiger (31 October), Halloween Party with Al Bairre at Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar (2 November) and many more.
Even if you’re still not too keen, think of Halloween as another reason to party ... in costume!
Now who’s with me?
This contribution was produced as part of a collaboration between LitNet and the University of Stellenbosch's Department of Journalism in 2013.