ALBANIA: Once considered an American tradition, Halloween is now celebrated in Tirana

Record ID: 563073

  • Title: ALBANIA: Once considered an American tradition, Halloween is now celebrated in Tirana
  • Date: 5th November 2005
  • Summary: EXTERIOR OF NIGHT CLUB WITH HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS THREE PEOPLE WEARING GHOST MASKS DANCING ON STAGE PERSON IN MASK WITH POINTY NOSE DANCING IN FRONT OF BAR BEHIND BAR, BARMAN CARRYING MASK AND DEVICE MAKING A BEATING HUMP IN HIS BACK DANCING MAN WITH VAMPIRE MASK DANCING WITH TWO GIRLS PAPER GARLAND OF SKELETONS ON CEILING GARLAND OF PUMPKINS PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE NIGHT CLUB
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVVI7G2PPQKVGGTZEXJHE6DRN
  • Story Text: Once considered an American tradition, Halloween is now celebrated in Tirana. Halloween as a festival actually has its origins in the Catholic Church, coming from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve.
    All Hollows Day, or All Saints Day, was when Catholics honoured their saints. Legend says that the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. The Celts were supposed to believe all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living. As the religions rituals decreased, the tradition of dressing up as ghosts or evil creatures increased. In Albania, children and young people gathered at a party organised in the school yard.
    Disguised in ghost, vampires or witches, they danced the night away and opened a few crackers. "This is the night when the spirits are awaken, when the dead and ghosts walk down the streets. That's why adults and kids disguise themselves and create a Halloween atmosphere, with the pumpkins craved as frightening heads... We are trying to bring the celebration to Albania," explained student Major Doci. "It is an event celebrated all over the world, and in Albania as well. We are celebrating it in our school, and it's even organized by the school senate and the school headmaster!" enthused Emi.
    The custom of Halloween is said to have been brought to America in the 1840s by Irish immigrants fleeing the country's potato famine.
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