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The Celts brought Halloween to the America's sure, but many of the holidays princicpal ideas originated from the America's.
Although it was the Irish Catholics who brought Halloween to the America’s, many of the most basic aspects of the holiday were in South America long before. Pagan festivals celebrating death were commonplace with the Incas and other civilizations long before the Celts came. During the Summer Solstice, which is the November in South America, the Incas would parade out the bodies of their dead rulers through Cusco’s main square in their honor. When the Catholics came they altered the festivities to pertain to images of Saints for All Saint’s Day. Many other rituals horrified the Catholic missionaries, but as hard as they tried, the missionaries were unable to phase out these traditions that have been celebrated for centuries. Vampire Bats. Ever heard of those? They're actually not from Transylvania, but they live in Central and South America and feed on the blood of cattle, horses and birds. Not people. Pumpkins originated in the America’s as well. Today hundreds of varieties are found throughout the Andes and the Pumpkin, or Zapallo, is a favorite ingredient in soups, stews, and many hearty dishes. Crema de Zapallo, pumpkin soup is the best tasting Crema in Peru. Well, in my opinion. Recent years though, there has been a backlash against Halloween in south America. In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez called for a ban on the “American” holiday. In 2004 in Brazil, a group was formed in attempt to ban it there as well because they felt it was intruding on their own wonderful holidays. However, the popularity of the event was the reason and each year it grows.
The copyright of the article Halloween in South America in South America Travel is owned by Nicholas Gill. Permission to republish Halloween in South America in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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