Feeding the Spirits
The light is dying as the dark strengthens. Winter is approaching bringing with it darkness and wind-whipped stormy days and nights. This is a time and season to honor our family, kin, ancestors and the hidden spirits of the earth. It is a time to go inward and strengthen our connection with the Otherworld.
Near the end of October, the natural world appears to be dying in its natural cycle of death and rebirth. During this period, festivals of the dead celebrated and acknowledged the ancestors and the dead in general with offerings of food being commonplace throughout many cultures. Ancestral worship was important to most, if not all, indigenous people.
El Día de Muertos
El Día de Muertos, or the Mexican Day of the Dead Festival originated in pre-Hispanic cultures who believed that during these days of the year the souls of the departed would return to the realm of the living, where they could visit their loved ones.
“The celebration includes offerings of cempasúchil flowers, drinks and food for the deceased placed alongside their photographs and poems. Another traditional practice is the making of the bread of the dead and the sugar, colorful calaveras (skulls), decorated and labeled with names of people (living or dead).
“The creation of the altar is an integral part of the celebration, with many of the ceremonial objects and familiar signature items of Mexican culture to many outside of the country. Altars are often decorated with flowers, whose brief life span is meant to be a reminder of the brevity of life and whose bright, earthly colors are believed to be a guide for the dead back to their loved ones. Brightly colored and intricately cut tissue paper decorates the altar, waving like multi-colored flags. Offerings of sweets, fruits, and other foods are joined by the staples of bread, salt, and water. Grooming supplies, such as a washbasin and soap, may be provided for the spirits to tidy themselves up after their long journey.”[i]
Like burnings where we prepare a plate for the forgotten ones, the Maya Ritual of the Dead, Hanal Pixán, honors the solitary soul. In this case, a home altar is “dedicated to all deceased who have no one to remember them on Earth, or who had no known relatives, or relatives who showed no interest in them…. This simple offering is placed on a small table with a white tablecloth, together with a large white candle, a glass of water and a plate of food.”[ii]
The following is excerpted from our memoirs and took place on the Big Island, Oct. 1993
Feeding the Spirits
The burning is always scheduled at dusk requiring a great deal of preparation. The correct food and drink according to tradition must be bought and cooked properly. It was important that we feed the correct food to the spirits. There were certain foods that were kapu or in mainland language, taboo. Sherry cooks and prepares the food for the various “spirit groups” that we are feeding such as the ancestors and the forgotten ones. The foods presented need to be appropriate for the culture. Appropriately so, Sher was preparing Island foods included taro, sweet potato, ulu – breadfruit and a white and red fish.
While the food and plates were being prepared, a “table” for the plates must be built in a proper manner. This was my responsibility while Sherry was cooking. There are no deviations to this most ancient of ceremonies. Burnings are very stressful and are not something that we look forward to conducting. But we still do it as it is one of the services that we provide, of course without payment, for the greater well-being of the earth and humanity.
With the gentle ocean behind me and the winds quietly caressing my soul, I began building the offering table. During this primary stage of the ceremony I could feel the spirits gathering. This is one of the reasons that once a date is set for the burning, it must not be canceled. It has to happen as scheduled. Under no circumstances may a burning be cancelled or postponed. I wondered if one of the spirits gathering was our “meatloaf loving one?”
Just before I opened the ceremony, a light rain began to fall. My friend came over to me and said, “Jim, this is what we Hawaiians call a ‘blessing rain.’” I smiled and shook my head yes.
After this acknowledgement by the heavens, time became meaningless as I prepared to open the gateway to the Otherworld. Becoming one with all things of heaven and earth, I began the ceremony by calling in the ancestral spirits.
It would be improper to put into print the details of the burning. Needless to say, it can be a very moving experience because the ones who have died or passed-over are being honored. It is important that not only are the known ones fed, but the forgotten ones with no names are given food as well.
As I completed and closed the ceremony, a Park Ranger appeared and looked none too happy. With the sound of the ocean waves behind us, our friend walked over to him while Sherry and I, our children and students waited. I could sense the energy ebbing and flowing between the two until they both hugged and parted. It seemed that the ranger was extremely angry that we had gone ahead and conducted the ceremony against the regulations of the park. But after our friend had explained the spiritual importance of honoring the land and the Hawaiian ancestors, the ranger had a change of heart; even to the point of attempting to have the regulation amended so that a ceremony such as ours could be held in the future.
The Next Morning:
As we arrived at the white sand beach, it was one of those most beautiful late mornings on the islands. The sky was a brilliant blue touched throughout with white fluffy clouds. My friend and I were both standing in the surf facing the ocean. There’s one hard and fast rule on these islands—never turn your back to the ocean as it is disrespectful and dangerous.
A short distance away our students were relaxing and swimming. We had a few minutes to talk before we needed to continue on to the fishing village. Before I could say anything, he began talking about the burning. It was a powerful and moving experience for him that included one of his ancestors coming to him in spirit form and dressed in full warrior regalia.
He paused, staring out to sea before he continued by saying, “My ancestor brought me a message… but it’s for you. My ancestor said that you are a kahuna po’o … you are a prophet bringing back the lost knowledge and sacred teachings that have been misunderstood, forgotten and corrupted. You have a message, path and way to share with this world, but do not identify it as being from these islands or other lands. This only separates people and does not unite them. Don’t get discouraged with the resistance you will face; it’s your destiny.”
[i] https://edsitement.neh.gov/october-2010-history-and-origins-halloween-and-day-dead-celebrations
[ii] Hanal Pixán, 24.