While the Dumb Supper has come to be more commonly known today as a ritual used to honor the dead and our ancestors, its origins are said to lie in a divination rite used to foretell one’s future spouse, and in some rural regions of the United States (particularly within the Appalachian, Southern, and Ozark regions), the use of the term Dumb Supper is still mostly used when speaking of the divinatory practice. Believed to have been brought Stateside by immigrants from the British Isles, the Dumb Supper was practiced in the United States at liminal points in the year, with the hope of revealing the identity of one’s future spouse or beloved.

Hollers, Haints, & Hocus Pocus: Halloween Customs of Southern Appalachia

Halloween takes many forms throughout the United States – a night for parties and pranks; a night for trick-or-treating with family and spinning spooky yarns with friends; and, in some areas, a time for divination, superstition, and dealing with haints. The south has a rich well of folk magic and tradition with plenty of Halloween customs to take part in, and the regions of Southern Appalachia are no different.

Soul Cakes: Recipes & Customs

The origins of Soul Cakes are hotly debated. Some sources say they hail from pre-Christian practices as offerings to the souls of the dead, while other sources cite medieval Christian customs as the true roots. Whatever their origin, the baking of Soul Cakes as an offering or gift to the those of the Otherworld – be they the souls of those passed on, spirits, sìth, or the like – is still practiced in some regions of Europe today and is making a comeback among practitioners of folk magics of Britain and Ireland, those who have ancestral ties to those regions, and among practitioners of folk Christianity, particularly European folk Christian customs, or those who have roots in Christian ways.

These spiced ‘cakes’ or cookies are prepared as gifts for soulers at Allhallowtide (the days of All Saints’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day) and as part of the Halloween, Samhain, and Yuletide celebrations and observances of many. In this post, we’ll explore variations of Soul Cakes, sharing recipes and exploring their different purposes. Let’s dig in!

Samhain Divination: Divining the Unknown at Samhain

Samhain is one of the four major festivals within the Gaelic calendar, and easily the most widely known of the lot. The festival marks the end of harvest season, the transition into winter, and the beginning of the dark half of the year. Samhain is a time when the walls between our world and the Otherworld – the realm of spirits of all kinds – are down. During this time, it is easier for the Otherworld folk to walk among us, and easier for the living to see and commune with these spirits. For many, this time of year is when the connection to the spirit world feels stronger than otherwise. Because of this Samhain is considered an auspicious time to practice divination.

Workings for Samhain

For many witches and Pagans, Samhain is a time of excitement and festivities. The Halloween season is not just a time of year that is—for many members of the magical community—a rare opportunity to show one’s true colors to the world. It also falls alongside Samhain, a celebration of the Spirit Realm and a festival that honors the dead and other spirits. During this time, many witches and practitioners of magic may host rituals to honor the dead, to communicate with spirits, or to strengthen their connection to the Spirit Realm.

An Exploration of Samhain

Many of us are already familiar with Samhain as the Pagan predecessor to Halloween. It is one of the few Pagan and neo-Pagan customs that is actually mentioned in movies and television shows such as Hocus Pocus, Outlander and Supernatural. In the United States, many public schools teach about the Pagan roots of Halloween—though they may not refer to it by the name Samhain—in seasonal lessons which focus on the evolution of the holiday’s customs and beliefs. But where did our beliefs and customs as witches and Pagans come from? And how does our observation of Samhain in the twenty-first century link back to the observations we may be learned about in school?

Holidays & TraditionsThomasinOctober 29, 2021samhain, halloween, witches halloween, wheel of the yearComment