Remember, remember

There are certain times in the folklore year when the threads of centuries, even millennia, of belief, ceremony, ceremonial, festival and festivities come close enough together to see that links from the past to the present are far from being coincidental. Samhain is one such period of time.

More than a year ago there much being made that it would not 'politically' correct to glorify the deeds of Nelson and it was suggested that our EU colleagues across the channel might be upset by celebrations of his Trafalgar battle. Common sense or the will of the people prevailed and the French remembered all those lost in the battle and the events of 1805 with us. Perhaps not surprising really since a French report that we possess of the events of October 21 st that year clearly indicate they won and Nelson lost.

Many thousands remembered Trafalgar, far fewer though probably recalled the events of October 25 th 1415 yet not long ago, when history and literature were taught in schools, the battle at Agincourt on St. Crispin's Day was not forgotten; Shakespeare did his utmost to ensure that. Ilfracombe bells regularly rang out on St. Crispin's day to commemorate the anniversary of Agincourt. The head of Henry V looks down from the north wall of the church as if remembering Devon's contribution to the battle; the Bishop of Exeter took part in it, as did the then owners of Ilfracombe and its neighbourhood, and many Devon volunteers and men drafted to take up arms for the king and who did not lay abed on St Crispins Day. The bellringers of Ilfracombe were paid fourfold for sounding the anniversary peal, which was echoed up and down the kingdom.

To be fair, only a few years October 25 th was being proposed as an autumn bank holiday, while Hallowe'en was not, despite the probability that more people, young and old, celebrate that night of ghoulies and ghosties. Dubbed Hallowmas Eve by the church, October 31st was previously one of the most important of the ancient Celtic Lunar festivals, Samhain, celebrating the end of the Celtic summer 'year' and greeting the new 'winter' year. It was also a celebration associated with the livestock cycle and, with winter approaching, insufficient fodder meant that livestock must be slaughtered, not sacrificed, killed for the good of the tribe, and the meat was to be salted and stored. Feasting on the surplus meats was a matter of common sense usage. More importantly, Samhain marked the time when it was believed that the barriers between this world and the world of the dead were removed. Ceremonies of remembrance of the dead were significant for the Celts; they remain so to this day. Is it really a coincidence that we remember the dead in differing ways on both sides of the divide caused by the calendar changes in 1752?

Many that celebrate Hallowe'en realise its significance to remembering the dead; and some object to this aspect of it. But, take that Hallowe'en aspect of communication with the dead forward through those deleted eleven days, to realign it to the old calendar and November 11 th gains added significance. Is it coincidence that Remembrance Day continues to connect us with our ancient past in rightly respecting and remembering the dead? The memory of the dead was honoured - world-wide - in a variety of curious folk-customs long before the coming of Christianity, when the barriers between this world and the next were believed to be down, the dead returned from the grave, and gods and strangers from the Underworld made visits to the human world. As Samhain ushered in winter, the Celts reduced their cattle numbers to preserve a reduced flock. Their bonfires cooked meat for feasting, and their bonefires carried the eternal life-flame into the future as they remembered their dead.

Around those winter fires the dead were honoured, divination was practised to see what the year would bring, harvest-end ceremonies were performed, games were played. Ritual fires were kindled on hilltops and open spaces for the purification of the people and the land, and the defeat of the powers of evil, which were then considered to be at their strongest. In even earlier times, according to ancient tales and fables, the fires gave strength to the sun to ensure its survival through the winter year. More of such fires another time, perhaps but, is it really just a coincidence that we celebrate with fire and food the downfall of Guy Fawkes on November 5th in that period of the folklore year that the Celts held dear?

© Roy & Ursula Radford