As we approach the end of October, we are bombarded by scary decorations, outrageous costumes and invitations to the spookiest of parties, why? It's Halloween! This festival was primarily celebrated by the US along with other northern countries, but how did the celebration start in Trinidad?
I am aware that residents of the West for instance celebrated it since the early 70's because those areas are full of residents who migrated from northern continents but now the festival is National! With every store commercializing the festival.
From the bumble-bee costume to the french maid, skulls to doctors and with every popular club in the land hosting a costume gala with prizes for the best, is Halloween becoming part of the Trinbago Culture? If so Why isn't it mentioned in the national Calender?
Does the nation understand the significance of the Halloween celebration in terms of Religion and Superstition? Or has the Media just infiltrated the celebration in our minds as something "cool" and the opportunity to play Dress up and Disguise?
History Of Halloween
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22 comments:
Honestly I believe that few people in Trinidad even care about the history or religious and superstitions aspects of Halloween. In my opinion it can be related to Carnival in certain aspects, as it gives people a chance to let loose, dress up and have a good time. A lot of the Halloween events in Trinidad revolve around parties and we all know Trinis love to fete, so you get to go out in your costumes, maybe even live a little bit vicariously through them, party with friends and enjoy yourself.
I think it's the commercialism of the holiday that brought it to Trinidad, just another way for Trinis to party better than anyone else.
I think that the media has implanted the so called"cool" aspect into to Halloween celebration. I mean lets face it ,everything now a days is about money and how we can make more of it,so it is not surprising to find out that the media or any big company endorsing Halloween so they can make a boost in profit.
I was totally unaware of all what was said with respect to how Halloween came to Trinidad,and the religious part of it. However, what i do know is that being exposed to our Trinbago Culture it is easy to say that yes it's becoming part of it as well as we Trinis love partying!!!!!!
Well this is interesting. As someone said above, it's merely part of boosting the ability to make money and businesses are simply diversifying in their efforts to do so. I mean, apart from which, almost every aspect of American or Popular culture is now being transmitted not just in Trinidad but throughout all different regions of the world. It's merely a case of following a trend of one of the power houses of the world. And if it means making money through the use of mass media, why not? ^_^
Well i think it's evident that the Trinidadian culture is influenced by that of the United States. As such the celebration of Halloween is no different. With regards to religious and superstitious significance, most people may not have a solid idea and some may have a vague understanding. All in all individuals tend to gravitate towards a trend and in this case, the trend of Halloween celebration is being pushed by the various media
We grew up watching Halloween movies and 'trick or treat' and wished we could have that amount of fun on one night.Now its here in the form of parties and every year it keeps spreading like a bush fire.
If you could market a product, you would be able to sell it. Halloween here could be compared to Labour Day celebrations in New York.Don't be surprise to see more American holidays reaching here.
Trinidad is celebration island.Christians does celebrate divali and eid ul fitr vise versa.We really dont care for d religious or superstitious reasons with Halloween.once trinis celebrating it and everything nice we happy.I believe trinis like to have fun and share d niceness.
it was only a matter of time before halloween became a norm in this country. Just a couple years back we would laugh at the notion of those communities in this country that engaged in trick or treating, but now we have become so westernized that we have bought the concept an now are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on costumes for halloween. the catholic community always paid attention to all saints/souls day an that had nothing to do with the westernized halloween. now i just think Trinidadians are looking for a reason to dress up in costumes an party before carnival rolls around, and as stated before the business people are capitalizing on the surge of interest we now have in this "holiday".
All about money. The people that create these events are all about the money. Every Trinbagonian wants to party. We will attend anything once there is good music and alcohol and let's face it... We all watch too much television so the media has conditioned our minds to believe that every american celebration is apart of our culture too because we made it that way.
I absolutely agree with the comments above...another excuse for Trinidadians to party and play dress up. And of course businessmen are taking advantage of this opportunity. The epidemic has started there is no way to stop us. But what about dressing up in our own folklore characters? I bet nobody's going to dress as a La Diablesse or a Douen this weekend!! *Sighhh*
I honestly think that its all about the money and fun.No one really has time to stop and think about the religious aspects behind halloween.I also believe that its a another door opening to give Trinidadians a reason to party and others to make money!
party culture in trinidad and tobago is at the height of its popularity, most ppl don't want to work anymore, they want to be photogs, promoters, or jus marginal celebrities, it is unfortunate that that is the trend but it is the relality. Halloween is just another excuse, pagan holiday or not.
yea did Trinidad is jus bein sucked into the culture of the metropoles, without even knowin the true meanings behind them. And as the comment above said the business men take advantage of this oppurtunity and they keep promoting it to ensure a constant period where revenue increases.
As a kid i always wanted to trick or treat but as a young man now looking back at it, it's like what was i thinking, what is the significants behind it, what would i benefit (a cavity or 2). The media has a lot of ways that they make money off of mindless people and this is 1, people of all ages are being sucked into this fantasy that holloween is a part of our culture and the media keeps selling this dream every year. It's sad to see a man pay for a holloween costume but would not spend his money on a dashiki...SAD
Holloween is not of our region so therefore being where we live people won't take the time to find out an research the whole meaning of what holloween is an how it came about!!! Anything with relevance to partying an dressing up our people will greatly do it!! To me it was jus a matter of time till we fell into the trap!!
i didnt even know ppl in trinidad celebrated halloween :S
Halloween is originally a celtic festive and means summers end but i suppose marketing has many windows. It is not to be confused with the celebration of the dead, Parentalia
lil more detail would be nice though
Yes, but i didn't say that, there is religious background behind it not so? A thorough detail in the you tube video below. It is an article highlighting my issuse with Media :)
Halloween....... Or should i say all hallo's eve. Is a commercial holiday another way for "the man" to make money. The signifiance is still unknown to many of us myself included.
i really feel this...dont forget to msg me...chris
well firstly, the celebration is just another excuse to have a party. trinis unfortunately don't really care of its history. Secondly i don't believe its ever going to go national cuz its just not us. indeed we have the parties and decor but its just for show and based on the real thing...maybe if we talk time to understand the event yea it might go national until then its just another party for zen
We are a real monkey see monkey do society! Evrything is the world is going toward globalisation. The question is whether or not the globalisation thing goes both ways, or are we subjected to other cultures and they know nothing about ours?!
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