In finnish tradition there still is common to do rituals that remind
of trick or treat. These rituals are made in easter and is mixed with
orthodoxical ceremonials and folklore of Finland and Lapland. Still
young kids dressed as witches and go house to house with branches of
willow that have been decorated. Then kids will ask if they can do
well wishings(branch magics). They say in finnish "Virvon varvon
tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks, vitsa sulle, palkka mulle." This
means "brandish, swing to fresh, healthy, for the next year, branch to
you, reward to me." Meaning of branches in christian orthodox have
been mixed with witchcraft and folklore.
http://www.phnet.fi/public/mano.haimakainen/trulli.jpg
Croocked nose and green color comes from folklore that witches are
half blood trolls. Finnish word trulli have most probably came from
originally scandinavian word "troll", and these words are pronounced
almost the same.
http://appro.mit.jyu.fi/2000/syksy/tietoverkot/demot/demo6/s99.png
The original christian holiday at the time of Halloween is day of the
saints, when people go to the cemetery and bring candles to the graves
and remember deceased relatives and friends. Cemetery and the deceased
have also lost the original idea and became a day when people tell
spooky stories and eat candy.
Goblins are certain kind of trolls that are very common in mythology
of scandinavian countries and Lappland.
One of my favourite artists, Theodor Kittelsen have made many works
that are presenting trolls and other creatures of the forest.
http://www.trollshop.net/trolls/kittelsen/
http://www.norsegate.com/kittelsen.html
Banshee are an irish version of three weavers, also known as Fates.
These ladies are known in celtic and scandinavian mythology.In norse
mythology these witches were called as Norns lived somewhere between
Valhalla and Asgard.
http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-9312736
http://www.dickinson.edu/~eddyb/mythology/Norns.jpg
Also Shakespeare used these characters in Macbeth, when the king met
three old hags. These witches are usually described as young girl,
mature woman and old hag. They present waxing, full and waning moon.
These women have been introduced in modern literature also, especially
in fantasy book genre. Maybe best well known of these are witches of
Terry Pratchett.
http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/
Ghouls are victims of vampires that have been risen from death to live
as undead servants of the vampires. Cemetery and the undead are very
common combination and known in many cultures, throughout Africa, Asia
and American cultures. Each of these have their own variations. |
