Halloween

Ok, so it came close to Halloween Day in education land. Although growing up in Ireland we always had bonfires or went 'trick or treating' with our friends I have had the opinion of late that said traditions were dying out. Maybe I thought this stemmed from a general fear, fueled by an over protective state combined with a cynical notion that such traditions became boring and simply uninventive in the minds of 21st century childers. Halloween, to the naked 'non english teacher' eye doesnt seem to exist at any enormous rate in Korea. Altough its hinted at, there aren't any traditions of celebrating this pagan festival. Unless, that is, you attend a Hagwon and expect your native teachers to enteratain and scare you.
It wasn't until I was entrusted with the organisation of the festivities in school that I came upon one startling fact......... I whole heartedly fail at the challenge of putting 2 and 2 together and getting 4. This is why....you can ask most people what country they think of when Halloween is mentioned or where they think most traditions come from....and they will say...the USA...?? maybe?
Dopey here would have also said this until I realised that it infact comes from Ireland, an old Druid practice in the festivals on Samhan. Aware of most of these old Irish festivals, I was very aware of Samhan and its beliefs and parallel ideologies with Halloween. This is not a blog on the history and traditions of Halloween but on the inate cynicism to assume that anything big and commercial originates in America.
Now, don't get me wrong, the commercial side of the celebration does come from our marketing transatlantic cousins but all the symols I associate with Halloween; lanterns, fire, costumes etc. are part of the Samhan tradition.
And..it was only after I realised this that my boss assigned me to the festivities as she was already aware of the origins of the celebration. Doh! All this aside, two days of singing songs, running with apples and spoons and playing some substituted games, scaring and scarring Kindergarten kids managed to beat some of the cynicism out of the celebration. It was a cultural experience for the kids involved and Halloween, as it stands, can provide some easy lesson plans!!