Stpry by: Christopher Abril: Staff Writer
Jack-o-lanterns are known for being carved pumpkins with lights inside; however, they weren’t always that way. The Jack-o-lantern started as a turnip carved to ward of stingy Jack, a man of Irish legend, who tricked the devil for monetary gain. The story goes that Jack wasn’t worthy of heaven and the devil refused him hell, so he wanders the mortal plain forever. When the Irish immigrated to America they started carving pumpkins, the native plant they found.
The reason Jack-o-lanterns are part of Halloween is because of an ancient tradition called samhain that celebrates the end of summer and the start of a new year, the tradition originated in Britain and Ireland. Samhain is considered the night of the year when the veil between the realm of the dead and the mortal realm is the thinnest, allowing spirits to cross over. Samhain and the holiday from the roman catholic church, all hallows eve, combined to create Halloween, and the legend of stingy Jack followed.
Jack-o-lanterns have had many objects as the base. The turnip and pumpkin being the main ones; However, there are many forms of the Jack-o-lanterns. There is no specific host for the Jack-o-lantern, so if someone wanted, they could carve a pineapple or eggplant.
Today most samhain traditions are celebrated with a twist, disguises to scare off evil spirits became costumes, gifts for the dead became trick or treating, and altars for the dead became Halloween decorations. Now we carve pumpkins for fun while unknowingly protecting ourselves from stingy Jack.
Comments