Subject:
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Re: Newbie with questions -- severely off-topic now!
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.loc.au
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Date:
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Fri, 23 Jun 2000 03:55:51 GMT
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Viewed:
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495 times
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"> It's already happening.
> I like the subversive nature of a 'Day of the Dead' to override the
> christian celebrations that overrode the pagan festivals.
AFAIK, Halloween isn't a Day of the Dead, but is a contraction of "Hallowed
Eve" because it is the day before All Saints Day (1 November). Because of
the extreme holy-power of all thpse saints combined, the goblins, witches
etc have to get in their last fling before this period of holiness
commences. Rather like a buck's night, really :-)
However, we have no need to import pagan festivals. We have plenty of our
own, e.g. Melbourne Cup.
Indeed, I'd argue that the Aussie alternative to Halloween is the Sydney
Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras translates to Fat Tuesday (or Shrove Tuesday or
Pancake Tuesday as most of us probably call it) and is the day that preceeds
the start of Lent (the period of fasting and penitence in preparation for
Easter), hence the need to use up "luxury foodstuffs" the day before, making
Mardi Gras a traditional period of (over-)indulgence. Despite the Mardi Gras
parade being a internationally televised event, I notice that our schools
don't seem so keen to include Mardi Gras in the curriculum. If it's OK to
dress up as American witches and goblins, why not as Australian Dykes on
Bikes or Asian Marching Boys?
Kerry
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Newbie with questions -- severely off-topic now!
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| (...) The Mexicans celebrate 'All Souls Day' as the day of the dead, the last day of October, not as commercial as the US idea of Halloween, but the same idea sort of. They visit deceased relatives and have picnics in the graveyards. (...) Yawn, as (...) (24 years ago, 23-Jun-00, to lugnet.loc.au)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Newbie with questions
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| (...) It's already happening. I like the subversive nature of a 'Day of the Dead' to override the christian celebrations that overrode the pagan festivals. pete.w (24 years ago, 23-Jun-00, to lugnet.loc.au)
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