In Tenerife, Halloween is not a deeply rooted tradition, although every year more and more children knock on the doors of their neighbors to ask for Trick or Treat. It is becoming more common to see how the terrifying costumes and traditional pumpkins appear on our streets the days before October 31st.
Here, however, it is typical The Feast of Los Finao or Finados. It is celebrated the night before the Day of the Dead (November 1 to 2), but also takes place the eve of “All Saints”, the night of October 31 to November 1.
In this old tradition, which is currently being lost, children also played at the doors of their neighbors and asked: are there saints? The prize were almonds, nuts, past figs or chestnuts that were collected in a sack.
In the afternoon, the families gathered to remember their dead. The older woman in each family remembered the dead, (“Los finaos” the persons who had come to an end) telling anecdotes meanwhile the meal was shared with the seasonal fruits.
The Animas Brotherhood formed by singers and players, was also a tradition, now in disuse, which consisted of going from house to house, on the night of All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead, in order to collect resources to celebrate the Novena de las Animas.
TYPICAL RECIPES OF THE DAY OF ALL SAINTS
In gastronomic terms, we have some delicious recipes to celebrate All Saints Day. For example:
- Huesos de Santo that are made with stuffed marzipan, usually with pastry, although it can also be cream or chocolate.
- Buñuelos de viento (Fritters) which are a versatile recipe that is eaten throughout the year, although they are very typical of this date. They are made with a fried dough and are filled with fillings of cream or custard.
- And the panellets, which although it is a typical tradition of the Spanish uprising, are also consumed here and it is a rich mass elaborated with marzipan base, wrapped with pine nuts.
Either way as you are going to celebrate it, we hope you have a good night.
FUENTES | BLOG DE ROCIO ORTA DIAÑEZ
Image | Pixabay
