Multifaith Calendar

 

Wicca - To restore the real meaning of Halloween, we celebrate it at this time of the year, when all of nature appears to be dying and the time of darkness is upon us. In the Celtic tradition it was recognised as a major seasonal shift which dislocated time and space, opening people to their realities. This was the feast of the dead, with storytelling and divination playing an important part; in fact it was the beginning of the story-telling season, which would continue through the dark evenings until Beltane. It was also a feast of peace and friendship. when weapons were laid down and violence put aside.   Haratua is the time when crops are stories in pits, labours are over and when the emphasis now shifts into the bushy, the domain of Tane, as a food source. The kiore is traditionally important at this time as it grows fat in late autumn and winter when feed is plentiful. The kiore is a descendant of the goddess Pani, whose daughter Hine-mataita gave birth to it. It is time to hear the story of Hine-nui-te-po, goddess of death, and her encounter with Maui when, in his foolishness, he tried to conquer her