Thriller... Thriller nights?

Thriller!! Thriller nights... These words are in the famous hit of Michael Jackson in 1980's. The album entitled Thriller has been one of the record holders in the music industry around the world. And, fortunately, today's entry has connection in a way to this hit. Because of the fact that Thriller, like this post is based on Halloween. This will be the second installment of my Halloween themed posts. The first can be found HERE.

If you would remember, the lyrics of the song Thriller has certain words that made it catchy to those who hear it. And as you may have noticed, these words that I am referring to isn't always used in a song. Like for example, ghouls, horror, terror, ghosts and hell are used in the said song. If you could at least cite 5 songs with those lyrics, I may revise this post and refer to those words as commonly used words in a lyrics. But, I doubt that.

Since the last post that featured my Halloween sickness, -in which I could refer as healthy, tackles my top 3 dark lurkers in Halloween, I think, this time, I would be giving some trivia that somehow has a connection to the word Halloween. So, here goes.

*****Hell*****

Hell, as they say in Christian religion, is a world where demons rule. It can also be referred as the demon realm, and the world of fire . They say that hell is where Satan or Lucifer dwells. Souls that rejected Jesus falls here, or so they say. It is also a place of never-ending suffering. Every religion has its own depiction of hell. In Japanese religions such as Buddhism, hell is often called as Naraya or Niraya, and sometimes, Jigoku, like in the Christian belief, hell for Buddhism is also the world of greatest suffering. In Islam, hell is called Jahannam, which was derived from Gehinnom of Hebrew. For Islam, hell or Jahannam is also a place where those who are unfaithful to their religion is punished.

Basically, nobody knows what hell is like. Since no one has came back to life. And described whether there is a heaven or hell beyond life. Ever since religion has been made for the people, hell has been there in their said to be holy book. Since humans cannot be sure if there really is life after death, this knowledge about hell, is, perhaps useless. Since not even Plato came back to life after killing himself just to prove that there is life after death (or so they say).

*****Niflheim*****

Niflheim or Niflheimr is basically the notion between Niflhel and Hel in Norse Mythology. This is I think the equivalent of Hades' Realm in Greek Mythology. Both are known as the land of the dead. The term Niflheim has also been used in an Online Game known as Ragnarok. This can also be called as the Underworld or the realm of spirits. Rarohenga is the term referring to this realm in Maori Mythology. This term has also been used in several Role Playing Game in different gaming consoles. In Egyptian mythology on the other hand, underworld is referred as Duat. Here, Anubis or Osiris, in their respective times and kingdoms, is the ruler and the judge. It is said that when a soul is weighted down by sin, it is eaten by Ammit or Ammut.

The land of the dead may have been there since the world or even before the world began, but like hell, we can't be sure if such world exists. The only known world to us as of now, is the world where we are living, and the world of the spirits (for those with paranormal abilities) which is in parallel with ours. But, since the land of the dead or Niflheim is said to be the realm of spirits, would it be better to just admit that it really exists?

*****Werewolves*****

Werewolves, or also known as human turned wolves or lycanthrope or lycans, are one of the most common mythological creatures that we know. Storytellers describe them as a monster twice the height of an average human and twice or even thrice the strength of an ordinary man. Also, it is said that they devour on human flesh and that a werewolf would howl when the moon is full. They are usually the topic of horror films with a big full moon scene. Some award winning movies of the modern day even used these mythological creatures as one of their casts. Werewolves has the ability to both turn into a wolf or a human. And as I have said in my previous Halloween themed post, werewolves are the natural foe of vampires (or maybe not?). This mythological creature has been very popular in countries like Germany and France.

This mythological creature can have a slice of fact in it. Since it is true that wolves do howl when they see the full moon. But, here in the Philippines, where wolves are next to none, dogs are the substitute howlers and when a dog howls, it doesn't mean that they will turn into a wereDOG or wereGARURUMON, but instead, the elders say that when a dog howls, it sees something that it shouldn't have, or to be more precise, a ghost, or some would even say death. But, even if werewolves are mythical or not, there will be no one to prove its existence, because, after you saw one transform into this beast or monster, it can instantly spell death for you, since they are more agile and they are stronger, you wouldn't have any chance to escape from them.

*****Zombie*****

Zombie... Zombie... Zombie-e-e-e... Zombies are reaminated and mindless human beings. It is also one of the most common lurkers of the dark, although I didn't include these creatures in my top 3. Zombies are considered to be the product of voodoo magic casted upon a corpse. It is said that when a zombie bites you or had a contact with you or even squirts a fluid on you. The virus that is in their bodies will spread throughout your body making you a zombie yourself. Zombies, are also called as undead flesh eaters. These creatures will devour any living human being. Horror films such as Night of the living dead and Dawn of the dead has made zombie as their primary topic. TV series such as Zombie loan even made zombies as their lead protagonist.

Even if these creatures really exists or not, I believe that humans shouldn't play with another human's life. And even if there really is an art to revive the dead (necromancy), I think, making a zombie isn't the type of thing that a human being will do. But, either way, no case of zombie attack has been reported. And only tales are made for them to exists.

That should be enough for my final entry that tackles Halloween. Since it will be Hallow's eve in a few days' time, don't forget to give respect to those who departed this world. Remember to offer your prayers to them and leave some flowers on their graves. And even if they were to scare you this coming Halloween by letting you know that they are watching you, be thankful that they have remembered you. And since this will be my last entry with a Halloween theme, may you have a spooky Hallow's eve ahead of you.

Ciao!~

Referrence: Wikipedia.org

Natatakot na din ako...

As promised guys, here's one of the Halloween themed entry for this week. And since it is still two weeks away from Hallow's eve, I am thinking of posting a Halloween themed entry per week. So, here goes.

Halloween, or Hallow's Eve is the time when all frightening entities are said to rise. Some from the graves, most from the dark. To be exact, Hallow's Eve happens on the night of October 31, onto the midnight of November 1. Allow me to take an excerpt from the ever reliable Wikipedia website.

Halloween, also spelled as Hallowe'en as I have said has been an annual holiday or celebration on October 31. It has the roots of Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian's day of All Saints. Basically, for those who doesn't quite get what celtic means, it's the religion of witches or those accused of being witches centuries ago. If you would analyze, Christianism and Celticism are opposing religions. And up to now, Christianism, prohibits their members from doing anything which can be attributed to Celticism or simply to witchcraft. Supposedly it is a holy day for the two religions. But, now, what does Halloween means to us?

Ever since Trick or Treating has been a custom in the Western countries, Halloween has been connected to horror, to fright, to monsters. It has been a nature of human to be afraid of what they don't see. It can be called as instinct. For that, scaring one another when the moon is at its fullest or when it is Hallow's eve has been also a custom (specially for the children). Here in the Philippines, some conyo villages (not subdivisions, they prefer to call it VILLAGES), started this costume party and trick or treat-ing just for their sons and daughters to enjoy the Halloween. And since we are talking about Halloween here, I might as well cite my top three examples of the common monsters or entities that, they say, are lurking in the dark.

*****#3 Witches*****

Back then, the witches are chased out of their homes, and burnt alive in the town plaza, while people are throwing stones at them. Witches are said to bring bad luck to a town or a barrio. Sometimes, they are even being held responsible when a child dies just because of a simple cut or bruise. Witches or wiccans are said to be able to practice magic or magik or magick. Also witches as they say can use these powers to get something that they really want. And most of all, they say that witches are immortal. The most common of witches or wiccans would be, long, crooked and pointed nose, long white messy hair (bad hair day), long and sharp fingernails and most of all, they are always wearing this black cape and pointed hat and that they ride a broomstick.

If these were all true, then, does that mean that there still are witches in this era? Since they are immortal.

*****#2 Vampires*****

Can be considered as one of the most dreadful monsters the world (of fairy tales or horror tales) has ever known. They are said to suck blood out of their live human victims and drain the life out of them. Some also said that if you were bitten by a vampire, you would turn into a vampire yourself. It is also said that vampires cannot drink dead blood, or the blood of those who are already dead or else, they will die. They can't also drink the blood of a fellow vampire for that blood is poison to them. Supposedly, vampires are nocturnal creatures. They can only hunt for their food when the sun is already set. For they are said to burn if the sun touches their skin. Also, based on the tales that most of the books about vampires are telling our generation, vampires are weak against garlic. The only way to kill them is to stab them through their heart with a wooden stake. Apparently, unlike other creatures of the night, which is said to be monsters vampires are the enemy of werewolves (or so they say). This has been a topic for some film in the past, and recently, for Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

Like witches, since they are said to be immortal, does that mean that vampires still exist today? If so, then the stories of Count Dracula and An Interview with a Vampire has it's basis. And just for those who don't know, Count Dracula or Vlad III Dracula of Wallachia isn't really a vampire. But a Transylvanian tyrant. His name, Dracula means the son of Dracul or to put it simply, the Son of Dragon. He was also given the name Vlad the Impaler because of the way he uses in defeating his enemies, that is through impaling.

*****#1 Ghosts*****

The most common of all entities that happens to be a gate-crasher during the Halloween. These entities are said to be almost invisible. They can be mischievous and playful at times, but brutal in certain situations. They are said to be apparitions. They may hunt a location or somebody associated with their life or their time of death. These entities are often the topic of most horror films. A ghost has also been the main protagonist in some stories such as Casper and Demi Moore's Ghost. Even Shakespeare has used a ghost in his story lines in his masterpiece entitled Hamlet. Except from exorcism, there are no other known ways to combat a ghost. Since it is almost invisible (or even invisible), it doesn't have a body one can stab to stop it. And it definitely wont burn on fire, since the fire itself would just go through the apparition's body.

Since this has been so damn popular even before, this one may really have some basis. But, it can also be pure imagination. But, the latter would be the reasoning of those who haven't seen one themselves. And since it is so damn popular, even children nowadays are pulled to this mania. They can even tell lies just to brag to their classmates that they have seen one. But, seriously, it's not that easy to see something that you shouldn't have. So, I suggest not to try playing with these entities. They are not toys to begin with.

There you go. Those are the top three entities that scare people during this time of the year. But, if they scare them very much, why do the effort of making costumes that looks like them? Are they making it for fun? Or are they just nuts? But, seriously, this time of the year isn't for fun. First, it would be to show our loved-ones that has passed on that we remember them. Second, it's one of those days that we can be with our family, appreciate them as much as you can. And third, respect those tombstones, I know it's so freaking crowded in the cemetery during Halloween or All saint's day, but, good heavens, don't piss on those tomb stones! The relatives of the one in there are giving it all just to clean that one, and yet you go piss on them?! Shame on you! And since it's that time of the year, enjoy your time at home, watch some TV and wait for the Halloween specials of the programs that usually tackles about entertainment or politics, believe me, you'll enjoy them.

Well then, until the next entry. Ciao!~