averilburystedmunds: Toussaint, November 1st.

All Saints Day

The first of November is All Saints' Day. It is a Catholic holy day and in France it's a public holiday and a time when families come together to visit cemeteries to remember and honour their deceased relatives. The tradition is for families to place chrysanthemums on the family graves for la Fete de La Toussaint.

Bruges cemetery

I first lived where La Toussaint was observed when I was in Bruges which is in the Flemish part of Belgium with no French traditions, as opposed to Wallonia in the south of the country. However, many observed the tradition which is officially when the Roman Catholic Church honours its saints and people remember their dear departed. I did not know then that November 2^nd is for All Souls’ remembrance; thus these first two days honour both saints and the dear departed of individuals with their chrysanthemums. I suddenly remembered this last week when I bought and displayed a bunch of white chrysanthemums from Bury market, a floral custom never seen in a Belgian home.

By coincidence as I write this, a tract commemorating Dia de los Muertos, again, Day of the Dead, a time-honoured tradition in Mexico whose origins go back thousands of years, has popped up on my phone! This is inevitably celebrated in parts of America too, like California,

Altar in Mexico; Dia de los Muertos

where many Mexicans live and work. Dia de los Muertos is a tribute to the afterlife, a day meant to honour those who have died and keep their memory alive. Day of the Dead starts on November 1^st and ends on November 2nd. During that time, it is believed that the spirits of the dead return home to spend time with their families. A similar celebration occurs in the Philippines where it is called Undas; in Haiti the day is called Fet Gede. There, people dress up in black, white and purple while parades are held around the country. The Day of the Dead originates from rituals practised by indigenous people in the Americas, most notably by the Aztecs who had a similar ceremony called Miccaihuiti, the time to honour the dead. When the Spanish arrived in South America bringing Catholicism, they incorporated their own La Toussaint with the indigenous traditions. In the South American tradition, people visiting relatives’ graves do not go to mourn; they go to celebrate, clean and decorate the graves, enjoy food and drink and tell stories of their dead loved ones. Sacred altars are built and photos of the beloved one displayed perhaps with personal mementoes; marigold petals are

Undas in the Philippines

also featured, meant to guide the spirits back home with their bright colour and pungent scent. Candles too, are lit, both to light the way home and to represent the departed while pan de muerto, a traditional Mexican bread, descended from the Aztec custom, is displayed. Salt, to purify, and water to quench the thirst, are also present on the altars.

There is something incredibly moving and touching about this annual Remembering, celebrated by millions of people on different continents. Writing this blog has caused me to remember my lovely sister Heather, who died two years ago and our other sister, Esme, who passed in 2017. Also, my mother whose death was such a wrenching for me in 1988. Then, my last brother, Reg, already very old, whose life finally ended soon after my move to Bruges. Childhood memories have certainly stirred and been savoured at length, thanks to this blog! There is something intensely human about vast numbers of people engaged in the same human longing and recall, offering communally, tributes and mementoes to welcome the spirits and aid the memories. History seems near and whispers from the past glimmer in the mind’s eye and ear and we experience a welcome connection with those long gone.