Week One - Task #05. “Festival of the Dead”

[Katherine Laurier]

You hear them before you see them: the clatter of sandals, the hiss of hushed voices, the scraping of bones against stone.

You are in Rome now, in the hour just before dawn, and something unnatural stirs.

This is Lemuria, the night when the dead walk. Not to be celebrated, but to be banished. No array of brilliant lamps, just a man tossing black beans over his shoulder and muttering words to keep the shades at bay.

“Ghosts,” he says with sober expectation.

The spirits are restless. Unseen, but near. You feel them circle you like humidity in the atmosphere.

The living do not linger here. You must create your own shield. You must cast your own beans and say your own name aloud, boldly, to remind the dead “I am not one of you.”

You speak it and the air trembles.

One pumpkin high in the tree flickers with bronze light, then stills.

You move on quickly.

Task:
In at least 125 words, research any festival of the dead that is currently being celebrated or was celebrated at a certain point in history. If you prefer, you may also share one of your own personal traditions when honoring the dead.

This task is worth 10 beans, with an additional 14 bonus beans for completing all Week One tasks by end of activity. Deadline is 11:59pm (HOL time) on Friday November 21st.

[Janne Halla]

Obon, also known as Bon, is a traditional Japanese festival that honors the spirits of ancestors and is similar to other Days of the Dead. It has been celebrated for more than 500 years and usually takes place in mid-August, although dates can vary by region. During Obon, it is believed that the souls of loved ones return to the world of the living to visit their families.

One of the most famous Obon traditions is Bon Odori, a type of dance. People of all ages join in circles, wearing colorful summer kimonos known as yukata.

Families prepare by cleaning and decorating graves with flowers and lanterns. The lanterns or other lights are to make sure that spirits find their way back home. Many households also set up a small altar with food offerings, incense, and photos.

[River Fenwick]

Nepal has a celebratory festival that is similar to Day of the Dead celebrations. They have a festival called Gai Jatra, held in August or September each year, that celebrates the upcoming harvest season and cows. The cows serve as guides to the souls of those who have passed, and this day is the only day when souls can enter the afterlife without undergoing multiple rebirths. The cows are said to guide the souls to the afterlife.

During the festival, the families of those who have had a loved one pass in the last year are supposed to lead a calf through the procession. However, many families can't afford a calf, so they instead dress a child in a cow mask and have them walk in the procession as a substitute. The festival features a variety of celebratory activities, such as dancing and plays, to honor the occasion.

[Emily Spencer]

Pchum Ben is one of the most important religious holidays in Cambodia. Dating back to the Angkor period (roughly between the 9th-15th centuries), this festival lasts 15 days and is held annually between mid-September and mid-October. It is also known as Ancestors’ Day”, “Festival of the Dead”, or “Hungry Ghosts Festival”. In the Khmer language, ”Pchum” means “gather,” and “Ben” is a ball of food. The name perhaps refers to the tradition of Buddhist monks walking from village to village offering prayers for both the living and the dead in return for alms or food. There are many Buddhist passages in religious texts that deal with its rituals and customs.

During this time, the people wear white, the traditional Cambodian color of mourning, to honor the souls of the deceased. During this time of the year, the veil between worlds is thought to be the thinnest, and hungry ghosts are offered food and drink to help ease their otherworldly suffering. Cambodians carry food to pagodas, which Buddhist monks then offer to the souls of the deceased. Traditional dishes such as Ansom chek (a fragrant banana rice cake steamed in banana leaves), Bay Ben (rice balls), Kuy teav (noodle soup), and Num banh chok (noodle dish featuring fresh rice noodles served in a fish-based curry or broth) are served.