Samhain: The Ancient Origins of Modern Halloween | Celtic Mythology

Uncover the true story of Halloween. Before the plastic masks and trick-or-treating, before the pumpkins and candy, there was an ancient and sacred festival known as Samhain. For the Gaelic peoples of Ireland and Scotland, this was the most important night of the year, the moment the world turned from summer to winter, and the veil between the world of the living and the Otherworld grew dangerously thin.

Join us on an epic journey back in time to unmask the true face of Halloween. We will explore the authentic rituals of the ancient Celts, from the great bonfires that purified the land to the eerie tradition of the "Dumb Supper" held for ancestral ghosts. Discover the world of the Aos Sí, the powerful fairy folk who walked the earth on this night, and learn the ancient arts of divination that sought to glimpse the future in the flickering firelight.

This documentary traces the incredible evolution of the festival: from its pre-Christian roots and solemn assemblies of kings, through its contentious merger with the Christian holidays of All Saints' and All Souls' Day, to its suppression during the Reformation. We then follow the ghost of the tradition as it travels across the ocean with Irish and Scottish immigrants, where the ancient turnip lantern was replaced by the American pumpkin, and the prayerful act of "souling" transformed into the mischievous cry of "trick or treat."

Finally, we investigate how a sacred spiritual observance was systematically reshaped into a multi-billion dollar commercial holiday, and how modern Pagans and cultural heritage groups are now working to reclaim the ancient fire and restore the forgotten soul of Samhain.

#samhain #celticmythology #irishmythology

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
05:03 - A World of Spirits
12:22 - The King's Feast
18:10 - Folk Magic & Rituals
25:26 - The Cross and the Bonfire
31:32 - The Great Pumpkin
37:18 - The Candy Revolution
43:15 - Reclaiming the Fire