Why do Africans celebrate Halloween when our societies hate witches and even kill them? If Halloween had African roots, Africans today would call it “juju” or “muti” and would not celebrate it.

Halloween, as an event, seems to be growing legs in Africa, especially in Nigeria, my home country. I personally noticed a few years ago that within the expatriate community in Nigeria, people were beginning to celebrate this festival they had brought with them, to Nigeria! So much for when in Rome do as the Romans do! Initially I did not see Ghanaians knowing about or indeed participating in Halloween. Well, all that changed this year.
Halloween (an American export) is said to have originated from a pre-Christian festival known as Samhain. According to the website, Encyclopedia.com: “It is believed that the spirits of those who died during the previous 12 months were granted access into the other world during Samhain. Thus, spirits were said to be travelling on that evening.” Do the people now celebrating Halloween in Africa know this? I doubt it very much.

Over the years, the celebration of Halloween has changed from its original roots. Today many people who celebrate it have no idea what or why they are celebrating it. All they know is that, come 31 October, they dress up in ghoulish fashion and hit the streets, trick or treating for children and organising Halloween parties for adults.

And this is where I have a problem with the Africans who participate in these celebrations. If Halloween came to Ghana from Nigeria for example, Ghanaians would call it “juju”, evil, occult. Something never to be practised! Ghanaians would have said: “What? You want me, my husband, and my children to go out dressed as ghosts, witches, and Satan? You want us to go to our neighbours and ask for a “treat” for our children? If they don’t get a treat, we should advise our children to play a trick on our neighbours? Are you crazy?” Yes, this would most likely be the response if Halloween had African roots and was introduced to Ghana from Nigeria or some other African country. But because Halloween came from “the whites”, Nigerians and other Africans have embraced it, no questions asked! Poor Africa.

Most people claim to be Christians, and as such they look down on ghoulish behaviour. It is just not accepted or tolerated… that is unless the white man says it’s okay.

And so we now find it acceptable to dress up as a witch or a ghost or even a devil on 31 October. If that is the case, why don’t we release all the witches at Gambaga and honour them with a Halloween-type celebration? I have always believed that if Harry Potter was a black boy, he would be called an evil wizard. But being white makes him okay and acceptable.

It is so hypocritical the way we are killing our beliefs, traditions and cultures to buy into anything that comes from outside Africa. Even if that thing goes against everything we once believed in, it doesn’t matter as long as it comes from the white man’s land. Our people will not only accept it but will practise it even more fervently than the originators!

Just look at Christianity. Today, there are more churches across Africa than you will find in Europe. Churches in the UK are being turned into nightclubs and apartments. The only reason people seem to go to church in the UK these days is solely to get their children into good schools. And if you do find a flourishing church in the UK today, trust me, it is more likely to be filled with black people as opposed to white people or people of other races.

Back in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, people will tell you that when they perform a “traditional wedding” ceremony, that it is a mere “engagement”. Until they go through a Western-type church wedding, they don’t feel married.

What many people don’t realise is that Africa is seen as an untapped market for many businesses. With the celebration of Halloween comes the branded hats, costumes, and the rest of the paraphernalia you simply have to buy! From what I have observed, Halloween is not as big in the UK today as it used to be (not a single child came to my door this or last year). So Africa is the new place to take over this rubbish.

The same thing happened to Valentine’s Day, which was not known in many African countries until the late 1990s or so. Today, as Africans have taken to Valentine’s Day as ducks to water, the commercial aspects have grown exponentially. Africans are now spending so much money on Valentine’s Day like there is no tomorrow. And yet, they don’t even know the origins of Valentine’s Day. Our people. It is now time to wake up!

I wonder if any African has bothered to see any of the Halloween films available. These are not about happy people doing good things. Surely this is a clue to what Halloween has come to signify in these modern times? I am yet to see a Halloween costume of an angel.

Yes the world is a global village, and there is nothing wrong with culture sharing. Sadly, in Africa it is not sharing but rather destroying our culture, beliefs, traditions and way of life.

At this rate, the time will come when nothing in Africa will be authentic anymore. From fried rice to Halloween, it seems, if it is from a non-African country, we are more than happy to adopt it. But not everything coming from outside our continent is positive. And this is what Africans have to realise. But hey, these are just the reflections of an ordinary African woman.

http://nigeriacamera.net/celebrating-halloween-in-african-devalue-our-culture-and-religion/

Food for thought.

We Africans lacks respect for our culture and ways of life. That's why you hear Governors trying to make wearing suit and English dress compulsory in our schools. We are so fake and its painful. We celebrate people speaking English fluently but insult and call those who are vast in our indigenous languages names.

halloween is over, i dont want to hear any more complaints about it, thanks.

I don't see the problem. When whites dress like iidiots why not wear Egungun costume?. .. Egungun is African. .so there, problem of neglecting our culture is solved

Egungun has a more reasonable reason behind its celebration- Our ancestors. .whom without you will not be alive