The Infamous Kafala System in Saudi Arabia

By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

On November 4, I spoke with a Saudi Arabian national named Yahya about the kafala system in Saudi Arabia. The kafala system is a legal system that gives the employers almost complete control of their employees, who are migrant laborers. This system provides cheap, controllable labor for the employer, since the migrant workers lack protections that other workers enjoy. Consequently, this has resulted in poor working conditions for the migrants and, in extreme cases, the abuse of the migrant workers by their employers. 

Saudi Arabia isn't the only country with a version of the kafala system, it also operates in a variety of other countries in the Persian Gulf Coast region such as Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and others. Yahya had once employed kafala migrants before the Saudi Crown Prince announced in March 2021 that he would be making major changes to the system. These changes make it easier for the employee to change employers, while also making it possible for the employee to leave the country temporarily and then re-enter. Nevertheless, all these newly granted worker rights would need to be approved by the Saudi government on an individual case.

Kafalas in Saudi Arabia are mostly from poorer countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Lebanon and their salary is based on the migrant worker's country of origin. For example, Bangladeshis, such as the kafala who works in Yahya’s apartment complex, would receive some of the lowest pay while Lebanese people would receive some of the highest pay. While kafalas are employed, they are subjected to do whatever labor their employer demands of them, regardless of their own wants or needs, in exchange for being taken care of by their employer. I asked Yahya what he provided for his kafalas and he said that besides basic housing accommodation and a salary, he also pays for the kafalas’ flights in and out of the country. When I asked about how easy it would be for a kafala to leave if they wanted to, he told me that if he wanted them to stay, they would because he was in possession of the kafalas IDs and passports which would be necessary to leave. This is common practice for the kafala employers. Furthermore, when I inquired about the living conditions provided for the kafala he employs in his apartment complex, he said that he is provided with his own private living space with both a private bathroom and kitchen. Yahya claimed that this particular kafala migrant buys Pepsi and other beverages and then resells them to the construction workers across the street who are also the kafala’s main friends according to Yahya. 

Oftentimes in the workplace, the employee and employer don't always see eye to eye for a variety of reasons. For Yahya and his kafala, their arguments usually involve differing opinions about the most efficient way for work to get done, nothing that would be punishment worthy. When I inquired about what kind of actions would be punishment worthy and what that punishment may look like, Yahya recounted a story of a male Bangladeshi worker who had gone to Yahya’s uncle's house to look at the girls’ party and after being caught, they brought him back to Yahya’s house. Upon arrival back at Yahya’s house, they invited all the Pakistani and Indian workers who lived in the same housing accommodation to watch as they proceeded to beat the man's feet with a wooden stick. Yahya claimed that such offenses like this one are justifiable reasons for punishment. When asked about the drawbacks of employing a kafala migrant after the recent reforms, Yahya pointed to how he can no longer depend on the kafala to exclusively work for him, as they can now seek new employment elsewhere if so desired. 

The exploitation of the kafala migrants has put the system under much scrutiny from the international community and human rights organizations in recent years as parallels have been drawn between it and labor systems that have been discontinued such as indentured servitude, sharecropping, and slavery. The dehumanizing nature of the kafala system also leaves us with more questions than answers as to why a system like this exists in today's world. But in order to further dismantle this system, we have to ask ourselves who are the beneficiaries of exploiting the kafala migrants labor and from there we can gain a better understanding as to why it remains in place.

Just Stop Oil: Activism or Vandalism?

By Vivian Pham, Staff Writer

On October 14 at the Nation Gallery in London, two environmental activists were reported to throw canned soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers. After the scandalous act, both young activists took off their jackets, revealed to be members of the Just Stop Oil organization. They then glued themselves to the wall beneath the painting, and proceeded to give out a speech about environmental awareness.

“What is worth more, art or life? Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?” said one of the activists, Phoebe Plummer, from London. Accompanied with her was Anna Holland, from Newcastle.

The two activists were arrested shortly after. Fortunately, according to the gallery, the painting was confirmed to remain unharmed, although minor damage was detected on the external frame.

What exactly is Just Stop Oil? And what is its purpose? On their official website, Just Stop Oil claimed to be “a coalition of groups working together to ensure that the government commits to ending all new licenses and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.” This group of environmental activists aimed to put a stop to global warming and prevent the UK government from fossil fuel production. Even though the message they tried to deliver is reasonable and aligns with most environmental activist groups, their way of delivering is usually controversial, which receives negative responses from the public and mass media. Prior to the scandalous soup throwing, the group staged a sit-down protest around London, infuriating drivers and commuters for disrupting traffic during rush hours. Subsequently, the scandalous act at the National Gallery proved to escalate its tactics.

One of the spokespersons of Just Stop Oil, Alex de Koning, spoke with several reporters outside of the National Gallery shortly after the soup throwing incident, “…this is not The X Factor. We are not trying to make friends here, we are trying to make change, and unfortunately this is the way that change happens.”

Additionally, Just Stop Oil publicly claimed to receive funding from Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) – a U.S. network set up in 2019 to fund climate activism. Ironically, CEF turned out to be part-funded by Aileen Getty, a U.S. philanthropist whose grandfather was the founder of Getty Oil petroleum company, J. Paul Getty. Needless to say, it is not always the case that the heirs of these petroleum multimillion dollar fortunes have no intention to overcome the damage caused by their predecessors. CEF is said to financially contribute for numerous environmental activist organizations. Nevertheless, critics fear that the elites might utilize these activist groups for tax evasion or tax-related purposes. 

Midnights: The Taylor Swift Album to Rule them All

By Sandra Vo, Staff Writer

At midnight on October 21, Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album “Midnights”, to a world who had long been awaiting her return. Under the power of a dedicated fanbase, “Midnights” crashed Spotify upon its release and sold over a million copies in just one week. For Swifties everywhere, “Midnights” was the culmination of everything that Swift represented: love, heartbreak, self-realization, and raw, personal emotion. 

But what exactly makes “Midnights” a distinctly Taylor Swift album? For one, the usage of musical elements from Swift’s previous music breathes both new life and nostalgia into her latest tracks, reviving the pieces of Swift eras long gone. 

In “Anti-Hero”, Swift embraces the gated reverb, a muted electronically modified drum sound that originated from the 1980s. As a result, the song becomes reminiscent of her 1989 album, her previous ode to the funky pop of the 80s. She juxtaposes the upbeat pop melody with lyrics about how her own self-confidence wavers in her day-to-day life. Her music video portrays two versions of herself that interact with each other in a mentor-mentee relationship, where one Swift teaches the other about the cynicism and the fact that she, herself, is the problem in all of her relationships. At the end, three Swifts convene on a rooftop to share a drink, resolving her struggles with self-esteem with a simple toast.  

This interaction between multiple versions of herself isn’t contained to just “Anti-Hero” however. Swift also addresses herself again in “You’re On Your Own, Kid” which initially appears to be about her naivete as a young woman and the bitterness that she has developed in her later years. However, later in the song, Swift subverts her original narrative by saying that her independence is actually a strength that’ll allow her to move past any moment by herself as she sings, “You’re on your own, kid. Yeah, you can face this. You’re on your own kid. You always have been.” Swift fans who can recall the song “Fifteen” from her namesake album will immediately spot the similarities to the ending of “Fifteen” where she tells her former 15-year-old self to “Take a deep breath girl. Take a deep breath as you walk through the doors.” The theme of her future self reassuring her former self of their resilience pervades throughout her experiences and journey as a musician. 

In “Snow On The Beach” (ft. Lana Del Rey), Swift and Rey sing about dreamlike romances and surreal moments during love. Both of them have a light, airy melody line that aligns with the theme about being in the hypnotic clutches of love. Combined with the soft, lower-pitched instrumentals that accompany their voices, this song sounds a little bit like it belongs in her “Evermore” and “Folklore” albums. She utilizes the same gentle rhythms and tender percussion to give “Snow On The Beach” a comforting, warmer feeling. 

And perhaps the most obvious nod to her former music is the song “Vigilante Sh–” The spoken, monotone words followed by a bass drop is definitely an element that she explored in her “Reputation” album. Knowing that “Reputation” embodied the idea of being a “bad b—-,” it’s no surprise that the message of “Vigilante Sh–” is all about revenge and independence. 

But even despite the wide range of musical elements and themes, Swift wraps her Midnights album nicely with one overarching theme: the simultaneous ending and beginning of her journey. She reflects on her previous experiences (“Midnight Rain” and “Question..?”) but also notes the direction that she wants to move forward (“Labyrinth” and “Lavender Haze”). And perhaps there has never been anything more “Taylor Swift” than to know that reflection does not trap a person in the past, but instead, gives them an avenue to move forward. 

Halloween Haunts & Horrors

By Austin Price, Staff Writer

With Halloween peeking over the horizon, it is no secret that ghost hunters and spook enthusiasts are looking for some truly horrifying Halloween haunts. Lucky for fans of this spectacular holiday, Colorado is home to many different frightening terrors and legends. From haunted hotels to possessed prisons, and urban legends to conspiracy theories, Colorado has it all to satisfy the cravings of those looking for a good scare. Without further ado, here are five famous haunted landmarks in Colorado, currently open to brave visitors. 

The Stanley Hotel 

333 E Wonderview Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517

By far the most popular and infamous haunted landmark in Colorado is the one and only Stanley Hotel. Located in Estes Park, the Stanley Hotel is said to house the restless spirits of many. The Stanley Hotel rose to prominence in 1977 when the cult classic and iconic horror novel, “The Shining” was released by Stephen King. The book gained national attention, leading to a blockbuster film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980.

The Stanley Hotel has a dark history, spanning back to 1903, when inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley, stricken with tuberculosis, traveled to the valley in hopes of getting his health back. After just one summer, his health was indeed restored, which he credited to the fresh air and abundant sunshine. Following his miraculous recovery, Stanley and his wife Flora built the infamous hotel. The hotel opened in 1909 and was immediately a fan favorite amongst travelers and tourists. 

By the end of the 1970s, the Stanley hotel was deteriorating due to lack of care and years of service. The hotel would have been demolished if not for a visit from legendary author, Stephen King, influencing his well-known novel, “The Shining”. Stephen and his wife Tabatha stayed in room 217 where Stephen recalled a vivid and terrifying nightmare, inspiring his infamous novel. 

Rumor has it that the hotel’s creator and founder himself haunts the historic landmark. Stanley died in 1940 at the age of 91, but his spirit is said to still roam the hotel. Specifically, staff says he is often spotted in the hotel’s billiard room and bar. Stanley’s wife, Flora, has also reportedly been spotted in the hotel and is known to play the piano. On the fourth floor, guests have also reported hearing children running around, laughing, and playing. Hotel guides and staff claim that this area hosted children and nannies during the days of the hotel’s peak success period. There is also a pet cemetery on the grounds that guides say is the final resting place of some of the owners’ animals. Cassie, a friendly golden retriever, is said to still deliver newspapers and scratch at the doors to be let in from outside despite being buried at the grounds.

The Stanley Hotel is utilized as a tourist attraction to this day. To visit this iconic haunted hotel, go to https://www.stanleyhotel.com/

The Colorado Prison Museum 

201 N 1st St, Cañon City, CO 81212

Our next haunted location in Colorado is the Colorado Prison Museum, formerly operated as the Women’s Prison building. It was constructed in 1935 and is directly east of the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility. The concept of the museum originated from a group of concerned Fremont County residents. The project began with volunteers seeking to obtain the use of the former Women’s Prison building. Approval by the Colorado State Legislature on April 24, 1986, gave the city of Canon City, which in turn gave to the Foundation, a 99-year lease to use the cell house as a museum. A Board of Directors was organized on October 15, 1986, and renovation of the cell house was completed in June 1988.

The cell house has two floors. The upper-level holds inmate cells, hallway, office space, and gift shop, while the lower level houses the dining room, archival storage, general purpose room, original kitchen, isolation cells, Federal Prison Display, and laundry room. Exhibits at the Museum cover over 140 years of history, depicting prison life from early Territorial Prison days forward. The museum displays office furnishings used by Warden Roy Best, and documentation on the Prison Riots of 1929 and 1947. 

The museum features 32 individual prison cells, a former gas chamber, confiscated weapons and contraband, a hangman’s noose used for last execution by hanging in CO, disciplinary paraphernalia used from 1871 to present, and inmate drawings and inventions. The museum holds several infamous items and provides detailed information regarding some of Colorado’s most notorious criminals. These inmates include Antone Woode, who was convicted of murder at age 12, and Alfred Packer who was convicted of cannibalism. The museum shares a wall with a still active prison which has been in continuous operation since 1871.

According to numerous reports, the premises are plagued with the lingering spirits of those who resided in the women’s prison. Visitors report seeing orbs, hearing coughing and screams, and smelling fresh tobacco when walking through the empty building. The laundry room is well known for cold spots that defy any rational explanation. Most of these paranormal experiences are attributed to the cruel and inhuman conditions the inmates were subjected to. Many women have died there, and at least one of them appears not to have ever left. The occupant of cell 19 has been regularly captured in floating orbs in photographs and has been heard coughing by many investigators.

The Colorado Prison Museum is still in operation to this day, attracting true crime enthusiasts and ghost hunters around the country. To visit this museum, go to https://prisonmuseum.org/

The Molly Brown House

1340 Pennsylvania St, Denver, CO 80203 

Our next haunted destination in Colorado is a fan favorite for history buffs. The Molly Brown House was the home of American philanthropist, activist, and socialite Margaret Brown. Margaret survived the sinking of the Titanic and was dubbed the “Heroine of the Titanic” for her service to survivors. Molly also earned the nickname, “Unsinkable Molly Brown” for rowing a lifeboat over 7.5 hours to get to safety. The famous socialite later married a man names J.J. Brown who was a mining engineer. The couple were avid philanthropists and they loved to travel the world. It was in 1894 that they bought the home for $30,000. J.J. Brown died in 1922 and Molly Brown kept living at 1340 Pennsylvania St till her death in 1932.

The home of Molly Brown was originally built in the year 1882 and was set for demolition in 1970 before it was saved by Historic Denver who restored the home, making it an iconic tourist attraction. In 1972 the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Over the years the home has become an education museum. The home has its original architecture, furniture, and tons of memorabilia, some from the Titanic. Many visitors to the house report ghostly experiences and paranormal activity. 

Museum employees, guides and tourists have all claimed to smell the smoke of a pipe around the home at odd times. Visitors attribute this to Molly’s husband, J.J. Brown’s frequent smoking of his pipe throughout his life in the house. Tourists and staff members claim to have seen light bulbs suddenly become undone. Others have a more visceral experience in the house, with reports detailing sightings of a woman who appears to be Molly Brown herself, as she rearranges furniture and tidying the house. She is also said to have screwed and unscrewed lightbulbs around the house, leaving a task for museum staff to attend to before guests arrive. Guests have also reported they felt cold spots in different areas of the Molly Brown House Museum and have claimed to have seen ghosts roaming the hallways. Many speculate these spirits are the past guests of the home.

The Molly Brown House is still open to the public and is frequently used as an educational destination for school groups of varying ages. To visit this historic monument, go to https://mollybrown.org/

Highlands Ranch Mansion 

9950 E Gateway Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

Our next haunted destination is in Highlands Ranch and is appropriately named the Highlands Ranch Mansion. This sprawling, castle-like stone house was built in 1891 by John W. Springer, a wealthy Easterner who founded the Springer Cross-Country Horse and Cattle Ranch. For nearly a century, the historic mansion was home to some of Denver’s more notable families as well as cattle barons, oil tycoons, socialites, and other political and business bigwigs. The property is currently owned by Shea Homes, who purchased it in 1997. Today the mansion property still functions as a working cattle and horse ranch. The property includes two cottages, numerous barns, stables, bunkhouse facilities, a carriage house, and a windmill. It is utilized by a variety of renters for events including weddings, birthday parties, and family gatherings. However, this establishment has a much deeper and darker history than its initial appearance. 

The current owner of the mansion, Shea Holmes, not only purchased the mansion itself in 1997 but she also purchased undeveloped surrounding property around it. To this day, Homes continues to hold and run this massive amount of land and acts as some sort of city leader for Highlands Ranch. However, before Holmes’ arrival, there were some interesting prior tenants with some even more interesting stories to go with their time living there. 

Frank Kistler bought the house in 1926, and the ghost of his daughter, Julia, is said to haunt the mansion. In the 1970s, estate landscapers were said to have seen a little girl in a white dress walking upstairs and looking outside the west bedroom. Many say that this apparition was Julia, who was neglected after her father remarried and adopted two stepsons. Julia would wistfully watch him ride off from her bedroom window. People claim to have heard sobs even when the house was vacant. Another theory is that the specter might be a child of a servant, or a little girl who did die in the house while her family visited.

The Highlands Ranch Mansion is currently open to tourists and renters looking for a historic and spooky experience. To visit this iconic property, go to: https://highlandsranchmansion.com/

Hotel Colorado 

526 Pine St, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Our 5th and final spooky destination is the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. It opened for business in 1893, just eight years after the town itself was fully developed. The purpose of Hotel Colorado was to attract the wealthy and elite to the wild frontier mining town that was Glenwood Springs. The hotel was styled after the luxurious resorts of Italy, complete with a European-style spa, tennis courts, a Victorian garden, a bird sanctuary, a 185-foot fountain of water, and an indoor waterfall. 

There have been many tales of otherworldly occurrences at Hotel Colorado. The hotel has reportedly been the site of a murder, a fatal accident, and a morgue. The hotel’s most haunted spaces include the basement which was the site of a morgue when the hotel was requisitioned by the navy as a convalescent hospital during WWII. This makeshift hospital hosted 6,500 wounded military soldiers from WWII.

One of the most popular paranormal sightings of Hotel Colorado was of a nurse named Bobbie who took care of soldiers injured in war. The story goes that she was allegedly killed by a jealous lover and officer stationed at the hotel. Over the years, Bobbie has surfaced in several stories around the hotel, particularly associated with the dining room. Guests and hotel workers have reported smelling a specific perfume believed to be worn by Bobbie. Some guests have identified it as “Gardenia,” a perfume from the 30s and 40s that is no longer in production.

Another famous ghost that haunts the hotel is known as Walter. Walter is named after Walter Devereaux, the hotel’s founder and is marked by the unmistakable smell of cigar smoke. Some believe that Walter is actually the spirit of E.E. Lucas. Lucas came to work at the hotel as its controller in 1893 and took over as general manager in 1905. He bought the hotel in 1916 and kept it until his death in 1927, at which point his wife took over ownership until 1938. 

Hotel Colorado is bustling with visitors and has many attractions including restaurants, theme parks, and bars. To visit Glenwood’s most prized landmark, go to https://www.hotelcolorado.com/

And that concludes our Halloween Haunts and Horrors Tour of Colorado! Support Colorado’s history and its legendary attractions by scaring yourself silly on these paranormal adventures. I hope you all find your ideal spooky destination this season and stay safe while doing so. Happy Halloween everyone! 

Fall Fables and Folklore

By: Austin Price, Staff Writer

Well, it’s that time again, fall. The leaves are changing, candy prices are increasing, Halloween decorations are appearing, and superstitions, fables and folklore spread like wildfire throughout many different cultures and communities. As a lover of all fall-related things, I have collected a menagerie of stories behind some of our most treasured and well-known fall traditions. From the autumn equinox to Halloween night, whispers of scary stories and beloved fables are exchanged, giving us a deeper understanding of this beautiful season and the secrets and rituals, it holds. 

Autumn Equinox

Now, to start as all things do, we go to the beginning. More specifically, the beginning of fall - the autumn equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn equinox begins on September 22. During an equinox, the sun crosses what is known as the “celestial equator” which is an imaginary extension of the Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the sun’s center passes through this line. The word “equinox” comes from Latin “aequus” meaning equal, and “nox”, night. On the equinox, day and night are equal in length. After the autumnal equinox, days become shorter than nights as the sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. 

With the event of the autumn equinox comes the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox. The Harvest Moon gets its name from the schedule and labor distribution between farmers as they battled the sun for more time to work in the fields. Typically, the moon rises about an hour later each night, but around the autumn equinox the angle of the Moon’s orbit and the tilt of the Earth line up exactly right and cause the moon to rise only about 20 to 30 minutes later each night for several nights in a row. These extra minutes allowed farmers more time to work in the fields while still arriving home before the frost and chill of the night set in after the sun had set. 

The significance of the autumn equinox is attributed to the Earth’s journeys around the sun. Many different cultures host celebrations and embrace legends around this time. In honor of the autumn equinox, the Mayans built a giant pyramid called Chichen Itza, located in Mexico. On the equinox, it looks as if a snake made of light slithers down the pyramid’s steps. In Peru, at Machu Picchu, an ancient stone monument called Intihuatana meaning “Hitching Post of the Sun" is used as a solar clock to mark the dates of the equinoxes and solstices. 

One of the most popular and recognizable stories about the autumn equinox is that of the Greek myth of the goddess Persephone as she returns to the darkness of the underworld, where she is reunited with her husband, Hades. This story is seen as a symbol for the feeling of autumn when the brilliance of the summer recedes into the more muted tones of September. The story of the matrimony between Persephone and Hades is one of sorrow and reluctance. The Greek myth tells us that Persephone was abducted by Hades, the god of the Underworld. Persephone begged Hades to let her go but he refused. Instead, the two of them made a compromise. Persephone could be free to return to her mother, Demeter, for the long summer days if she stayed with Hades throughout the winter and autumn. Persephone leaves Hades and comes out of the ground to the blooming of flowers and the warm sun every spring equinox and is drawn back to that dark world every autumn equinox. Persephone is both queen of the Underworld, as the wife of Hades, and is associated with the new life that rises with the spring, becoming both life and death simultaneously. 

Changing Colors

Now, here is a bit of a myth buster. For years we were taught that the leaves change colors because of weather conditions and chilly temperatures. However, the leaves change because of the amount of daylight and photosynthesis. As the autumn days shrink, the reduced daylight sends a signal to plants saying it is time to stop gathering energy and get ready for their dormant season, winter. Chlorophyll is a chemical found in leaves that absorbs sunlight and in trade, gives leaves a green color. A corky wall of cells, also known as the “abscission zone,” seals off the vessels that supply the leaf with nutrients and water while blocking the exit vessels and subsequently, traps simple sugars in the leaves. Reduced light, lack of nutrients, and less water causes the trees to start breaking down the chlorophyll and the green color fades, exposing other pigments of color such as yellow, red, orange, and brown. 

A more creative and mythical way of explaining the reasoning behind the changing colors of leaves is found in a Wyandot (Huron) Legend told to generations of children. The story is based on the battle fought by the deer and bear in the sky. The bear was selfish and proud and oftentimes caused trouble for the Animals of the Great Council. When the bear was told that the deer had crossed the Rainbow Bridge into the Sky Land, he was angry and went to confront him. The deer was upset by this altercation and threatened the bear with his long, sharp antlers. The bear was not afraid of the deer and attacked the deer with his claws. The bear and deer fought in the sky until the bear was wounded by the deer’s horns. The wolf, the leader of the Animals of the Great Council, intervened and chased the deer away. As the deer ran, the Blood of the Bear that soaked his antlers dripped onto the Lower World, staining the leaves of the trees red, yellow, and brown. Every year as the leaves change, the Wyandots say that Blood of the Bear has been thrown down from heaven and upon the trees of the Great Island. 

Halloween

Moving further along through the days of fall, we enter the infamous spooky season leading up to Halloween. Many countries throughout the world celebrate Halloween in several ways through rituals and traditions. Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead disappeared. The tradition originated when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. As the years passed, Halloween and the day after, November 1, evolved into a time to honor all saints, as designated by Pope Gregory III in the eighth century. 

Witches

One of the most infamous legends shaped by the spooky season is that of witches, and the public’s reaction to them. While our current vision of witches is one of women huddling over a cauldron of boiling liquid and cackling beings riding through the sky on brooms wearing pointy hats, witches have a dark history going back to 900 B.C. Early witches were people who practiced witchcraft, using magic spells, and calling upon spirits for help or to bring about change. Most witches were thought to be pagans doing the Devil’s work. Witch hysteria really took hold in Europe during the mid-1400s, where witch hunts became common and most of the accused were executed by burning at the stake or hanging. Nowadays, self-proclaimed witches strive to live a peaceful, tolerant, and balanced life in tune with nature and humanity, healing both themselves and others with herbal remedies and spoken incantations. 

The iconic image of a witch riding a broomstick in the moonlight has its roots in herbal remedies and exploration of fertility assistants. It is predicted the association between witches and brooms may have roots in a pagan fertility ritual, in which rural farmers would leap and dance astride poles, pitchforks or brooms in the light of the full moon to encourage the growth of their crops. This “broomstick dance" became confused with common accounts of witches flying through the night on their way to orgies and other illicit meetings. Broomsticks were also thought to be the perfect vehicles for the special ointments and salves that witches brewed up to give themselves the ability to fly, among other depraved activities.

Vampires

Another well-known figure of Halloween culture is a vampire. Sadly, I am not talking about a sparkly, Robert Pattinson type of vampire (team Edward for life) but instead, a much darker and more sadistic history of bloodletting and blood sucking, making way for countless books and movies. The idea of vampires and vampirism originated in the 19th century, during the rampant spread of tuberculosis, also known as consumption. Because physicians were unable to explain how certain infectious diseases were spread, hopeless villagers believed that some of those who perished from consumption preyed upon their living family members and labeled them as “bacterium with fangs”. To prevent an ongoing vampire attack and the disease from spreading, panicked citizens dug up bodies and performed various rituals, including burning internal organs. 

Haunted Stories

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have memories of ghost stories told in hushed voices, illuminated by flashlights, at 5th grade sleepovers. These stories included broken mirrors, rainy nights, haunted houses, and vengeful ghouls, but the act of storytelling, more specifically, the act of scary storytelling dates to the ancient Roman times. In the first century, they wrote letters recounting ghost stories they claimed to have witnessed including chains rattling, and haunted houses. Many stories teach that the hauntings are because the person was never properly buried, and their return is tied to respecting the dead. As the years went by, stories started to become more menacing in the late 18th century when gothic fiction came into popularity, combining elements of romance with dark, horrific figures. Works of this genre include Frankenstein, Dracula, and even A Christmas Carol. More recent works of horror have focused on current issues such as race and misogyny, and many of them feature the idea that humanity’s greatest fear is death. 

Finally, my personal favorite Halloween origin story, the story of haunted houses. As an avid Disney fan, I have developed an obsession with the infamous attraction, The Haunted Mansion. While this may not be a historically accurate or correct representation of haunted houses history, it certainly is one of the most widespread and recognizable figures in architectural hauntings. However, haunted houses date back to the 1930s, during the heat of the Great Depression. Halloween had become a time for young boys to cause mischief and make some trouble. Hundreds of teenage boys flipped over cars, sawed off telephone poles, removed neighbor’s gates, stole dead bodies, and engaged in other acts of vandalism across the country on Halloween night, dubbing the event as “Black Halloween.” While some parts of the community advocated for the holiday and any related celebrations to be banned, the official response was much more creative. Communities began to organize trick-or-treating, parties, costume parades, and haunted houses to keep the youth busy and out of trouble. The idea of haunted houses starts in the 1800s, with Marie Tussaud’s wax museum in London featured a “Chamber of Horrors” with decapitated figures from the French Revolution. This later evolved in 1915, a British amusement ride manufacturer created an early model haunted house complete with dim lights, shaking floors and demonic screams. Nowadays, there are over 1,200 haunted attractions that charge admission fees as the idea has become commercialized and highly profitable. However, one thing remains the same: haunted houses are still a good place for grim grinning ghosts to socialize. 

As we enter the fall season and approach the spooky holiday, more of these origins and legends gain prominence, and more stories are told. No matter what you believe, no matter how you celebrate, I wish you all Happy Halloween and a wonderful fall season. Stay safe, stay smart, stay spooky.