“Halloween is one big reason to party!” Or so says Rita Noronha, an avid partygoer from Margao. While it is considered a celebratory occasion with much history behind it, the general consensus in Goa is just another reason to party, albeit with a spooky theme.
The evolution of Halloween stems from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. Today it is less about ghosts and ghouls and has become commercialised world over as a day that involves costumes and candy. In ancient times, the Celts marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter on this day. It was also believed that the transition between seasons acted as a bridge to the world of the dead.
Yet commercialisation has ensured that in the name of Halloween, the parties will go on. In conversation with Ankith Kedar, Director of Strobe Nightlife, the event planner discloses, “As event planners, we need to be in a constant state of evolution. At the end of the day, regular parties occur on a weekly basis and afford nothing new to the people that frequent them. Halloween parties are usually
costume-based or have some kind of thematic change
which is a novelty, all the more so because it happens only
once in a year. This is the main draw for attendees.”
Perhaps what is sometimes required is a journey much
like the one in Ray Bradbury’s 1972 fantasy novel, ‘The
Halloween Tree’. The story traces the journey of a group of
eight boys who set out to go trick-or-treating on Halloween,
only to discover that the ninth member of the group, Pipkin,
has been subconsciously abducted on a journey that could
determine whether he lives or dies. Guided by a character
known as Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, the pursuit of
their friend takes them across time and space into Egyptian,
Greek, Roman and Celtic cultures, before visiting the Notre
Dame Cathedral in Medieval Paris, and stopping by The Day
of the Dead in Mexico. Prince Sawant, another partygoer
from Mangeshi, says, “It’s not a conventional part of local
culture, but it’s used as a reason to provide spooky themed
parties to members of the general public. The novelty of
these parties is what has made Halloween popular, though
few know the significance behind the celebration.”
Whether in sync with the traditions that surround it or
not, one thing remains certain; that tonight, Goa will see
more vampires, werewolves and ghosts walk the streets
than the last one year
