The Chessmen Museum has its own collection of creepy chess sets. Monsters, ghosts, dragons…they are all there. Halloween is a good time to put these chess sets in the spotlight. The American holiday is becoming more and more popular in the Netherlands but also the traditional Dutch holiday of Saint Martin has made a comeback.
Holy Saint Martin was born in France around 316 AD. Martin’s father was an officer in the Roman army and young Martin quickly followed in his footsteps. Legend has it that in the extremely cold winter of 332 he met an almost naked beggar. Sixteen-year-old Martin did not hesitate to cut up his cloak and give the beggar half of it. At night, the boy dreamed that it was Jesus he had given half his mantle to. He left the army to get baptized. Martin lived the rest of his in sobriety and devoutness and took care of the poor. In the end he was named bishop of the French city of Tours, it is said that the people of the city insisted he take this position.
Begging for the poor
Remarkably, Martin is the first Christian to become a saint after his death around the year 400, without having died a martyr. The honoring of Saint Martin spread all the way to Friesland and Groningen, the northern provinces of the Netherlands. In this area the worshipping of this saint got mixed with heathen traditions. The most characteristic tradition was the emptying of a sugar beet or turnip and placing a candle inside. At night, people would walk around with these lanterns and sing in exchange for a bit of food.
These festivities were called the beggar’s festivities. They were especially common in the wintertime when the poor really needed a bit of extra food. The richer individuals of the population were not very fond of the tradition’s connection to poverty and didn’t like it when their children would also want to go around town. In many towns where Saint Martin wasn’t traditionally celebrated or where it had disappeared from tradition, the children are once again going around the houses of their neighbors, singing and carrying their lanterns and being awarded candy for their efforts.
Celts frighten spirits
During modern day Halloween children also go around the streets carrying lanterns. Traditionally this holiday was only celebrated in Anglo-Saxon countries. It goes back to the Celtic Samhain celebration, when the souls of the dead would return to earth on the first night of November. People would wear old clothes, dress themselves up as ugly as they could or wear masks. All of this, together with a lot of noise was supposed to frighten evil spirits. Hollowed-out pumpkins also helped: they looked like protective spirits that would divert the evil spirits’ attention.
Good spirits were paid tribute as well: people would put little lights in the windows of their houses to guide deceased loved ones and family home. They would also put an extra chair at the table or by the fire for their dearly departed guests. Good spirits with no family were also remembered: apples would be buried for them alongside the roads.
The Irish exported the holiday, called All Hallow’s Even or Eve of all saints to the United States. In the nineteenth century the Irish moved away from their own country en masse, because of bad potato harvests. In America the holiday evolved into Halloween, a spooky holiday mostly meant for the kids. They dress up and call at their neighbors’ houses, calling Trick or treat in order to try and get some candy. Those who don’t oblige can expect a trick to be played on them…
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