To celebrate Samhain (the festival marking the end of the harvest and coming of winter) here is a Halloween illustration and haiku I made dedicated to the scary ancient Turnip Lantern.
Halloween’s Mystique,
Ghosts Sway, Shadows Gently Shift,
Turnip Waits For Treats.
Turnip Lanterns
What’s this turnip business all about? Aren’t Halloween Jack O’Lanterns made by carving pumpkins?
In Irish folklore, the tradition of carving turnips into lanterns goes way back to the 19th century. The original Jack-o-Lanterns were made from turnips or beets and were intended to ward off unwanted visitors in the form of spooky spirits.
Irish immigrants brought this tradition to America, they discovered that pumpkins were much easier to carve and soon adopted them as the new Jack-o-Lantern material. Today, pumpkins are of course, synonymous with Halloween and are a staple decoration during this spooky time of year.
Scaring Away Scary Stuff
The Celts believed that on the eve of Samhain, dead spirits would visit the mortal world. They lit huge bonfires to keep these spirits away. People carried home an ember from the communal bonfire and used a hollowed out turnip to hold the flame.
As explained by the National Museum of Ireland, turnip lanterns were a popular Halloween tradition in Ireland. The museum’s Irish Folklife Collection contains a model of a “ghost turnip” donated in 1943 by a schoolteacher in the village of Fintown, County Donegal.
The lanterns were made by carving out large Swedish turnips called rutabagas, and then lighting them with coal or candles. They were often carved with grotesque faces and placed in windows or near doors to ward off evil spirits.
By displaying these carved lanterns outside their dwellings, individuals aimed to deter any lurking malevolent forces. Over time, this custom transformed into the Jack-o’-lanterns we recognize today, with the difference being they are crafted from pumpkins rather than turnips. However, the original intent of safeguarding against evil spirits endures.
I would NOT be knocking on the door of a house with one of those turnip faces peering out. I love turnips, but they are a scary-looking vegetable, and that’s even before a hideous face is carved into them.
You can see another very, very scary Halloween Sketch by me here.
Happy Halloween.
