The PA Melting Pot: THE PA MELTING POT - Special HALLOWEEN Post: Colum...: Below is the column I authored for the Herald-Standard newspaper which appeared on 10 30 2014. Below the column are photos and links r...
The PA Melting pot creates an Ethnic Triangle of multiple nationalities in SE Ohio, SW PA and NW WV. There are 12 MAJOR ethnic immigrant groups from the 1700’s to the 1960’s. This series of articles will focus on these immigrant groups and their cuisine THEN and NOW!!
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
THE PA MELTING POT - Special HALLOWEEN Post: Column, photos, links and videos!!
Below is the column I authored for the Herald-Standard newspaper which will appear on 10 30 2014. Below the column are photos and links referring to this column/blog.
The Melting Pot: A look at the evolution of food in Southwestern PA – SPECIAL
HALLOWEEN COLUMN
Halloween
originated as a pagan festival in parts of Northern Europe and is a time when
magic is most potent and spirits can make contact with the physical world.
Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought the holiday to the United States.
Halloween commercialization
began the US in the 1900’s when postcards and die-cut paper decorations were
produced. Halloween costumes appeared around the 1930,s and the custom of
'trick-or-treat' appeared in the 1950's.
Modern day
Halloween is more popular today with the youth in the countries below because
of the influence and commercialization by the US. In this column Halloween
customs of the top seven ethnic groups in western PA will be addressed.
IRISH/SCOTCH-IRISH
In the old
days children and poor people would sing and say prayers for the dead in return
for cakes. Guising (Scottish trick or treat) occurred when children disguised
in costumes went from door to door for food and coins and then the custom became
known as Trick no a choireail (Irish trick or treat). In Scotland in 1895 masqueraders would carry lanterns made out of
scooped out turnips & visit homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and
money. While going from door to door in disguise has remained popular
among Scots and Irish and the custom of saying "trick or treat" has
recently become common.
ITALY
These days among
the younger generations Halloween has become more popular than
Italy's very own Carnevale. Like the
Germans and Americans Italians get crazy about dressing up and playing tricks
on their friends. Dolcetto o scherzetto” (trick or treat) is also popular. During
the night of All Dead, the souls of the departed come back from beyond the
graves in a long line, walking around the streets of the towns. That is why we
carve a pumpkin and place it on the window with a candle inside it to use as a
lantern.
POLAND/CROATIA/UKRAINE
Pennsylvania is fourth in the US with Polish-American population with estimated
figures of a million and 9% in Pittsburgh. Today, Pennsylvania's Croatian
population of nearly a quarter million is the largest in the country and they
even have their own consulate in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has the nation’s fifth largest
Ukrainian community. These three countries are a large population contingent in western Pa. However, they don’t celebrate Halloween per
se but All Saints’ Day (Hallowmas - a Christian feast in honor of all the
saints) and All Souls’ Day (a day of prayer for the dead, particularly but not
exclusively one's relatives). The annual celebration is now held on 2 November
and is associated with All Saints' Day (1 November) and its vigil, Hallowe'en (31 October) which is a combined Catholic custom.
For recipes
from 1700s to 1960s and modern day links visit www.ThePAMeltingPot.com. Christine Willard, a
native of western Pennsylvania, researches and blogs about the food unique to
Western Pennsylvania. She currently resides in North Carolina. Her blog can be
found at www.ThePAMeltingPot.com.
German photos
Irish/Scotch Irish photos
Italian Photos
Polish photos
Croatian photos
Ukrainian photos
Halloween customs around the world links
Around the world
Halloween in western PA
Haunted hayrides in PA
Google search link for lots of info about Halloween in western
and southwestern PA
HALLOWEEN VIDEOS LINK
Labels:
croatia,
germany,
halloween,
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Irish,
Italy,
links,
PA,
photos,
Pittsburgh,
polish,
scotch-irish,
southwestern PA,
Ukraine,
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