Special Date - Haiti Observer Blog

October 24, 1945. This is the date when a charter by five permanent Security Council member states was ratified. It is after the ratification when the United Nations, commonly known as UN came into force. The five members include; United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Republic of China and the Soviet Union.

It is in 1948 when the 3rd anniversary of the occasion was conducted. From that year the day, October 24, has been called the United Nations Day. It is a day to highlight, reflect and celebrate the work that the United Nations and it's various committed agencies have done to the world.

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Haitians may not celebrate Halloween but they do have a holiday called Ghede. This is the day of the dead, when Haitians remember their deceased relatives and ancestors every November 2. Some Haitians describe Ghede as a New Year celebration for the dead because of the festivities and activities during the holiday.

Ghede is a huge part of the Vodun tradition, which calls for celebration and tribute to Ghede spirits. Baron Samedi is the God of Death and the leader of Ghede spirits, which are among the pantheon of Gods called as Loa. Haitians pay their respects to Baron Samedi, who they see as the wisest adviser, protector of children and the last hope of the sick.

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Haiti celebrates its Day of the Dead on November second, which in Catholicism is called All Souls' Day. Its religious faiths include Protestant, Catholic, and the prevailing practice of Voodoo.

Voodoo became legitimized in 2003, leading to open celebrations on the Day of the Dead since. Although Voodoo pays tribute to many deities, it gives prominence to Gede (the transformed dead), Lwas (the spirit force of the dead), and Baron Samedi, (the portal to life after death).

On Haiti's Day of the Dead, Port-au-Prince is the center of public celebrations, which are rich with tradition and ritual. This is an opportunity to see and experience Voodoo up close. In addition to public celebrations, there are smaller celebrations at cemeteries, with Voodoo dancing 24 hours a day.

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The beginnings of Halloween we know and celebrate today began around the time of Christ, 2,000 or more years past. It is the second most profitable holiday for retailers, tracing its origins back to ancient Ireland and Scotland. Celtic priests, the educated Druid class, subscribed to a pagan belief system. On Samhain Eve, they celebrated the end of summer and descent into the dark months of the year, engaging in animal sacrifice and interpreting omens. They also sought guidance from occult influences to perform magic and heal the sick.

Christianity arose in the aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion and dominated northern Europe, until the Protestant Revolt. Before the Protestants banished Catholic traditions, Christian theology had co-mingled with Celtic traditions and created a Church holiday, All Hallows', or All Saints' Day today. Eventually All Hallows' shifted to the word Halloween.

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You would see a lot of "zombies" roaming around on Halloween. This is because these creatures are a popular choice for costumes during the holiday. A lot of people dress like zombies to join Halloween festivities in order to be as fearful as they can be. But what is it about zombies that associate them with the dark side? And where do zombies really come from?

First of all, zombies are depicted as people who were brought back from the dead. They are like monsters, eating people and turning them into zombies. According to the common story, zombies live in graves and are awaken during the night. They do not think or speak. All they do is hurt and eat people in their way.

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