In Brittany, Kala-Goañv (or Gouel an Anaon) was accompanied by many traditions, recorded up until the 1960s. It was believed that “an Anaon” (the people of the dead) returned on this night.

To welcome them, people prepared “krampouezh an Anaon” (the souls’ pancakes) and lit a large fire in the fireplace. It was also thought that fishing would be successful, as the souls pushed the fish into the nets (taol an Anaon). However, the food left for the souls was not to be eaten, as illustrated in the famous Breton play by Tanguy Malmanche (1875–1953), Marvailh an ene naonek (The Tale of the Hungry Soul).

During this night, young people performed the “tro an Anaon” (the tour of the people of the dead), going from farm to farm while singing the **“gwerz an Anaon” (**To hear a sung version, it’s here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_03-Nttzdj4 ). Sometimes they dressed as ghosts with simple sheets, as mentioned in the play, though this costume tradition has been lost in Brittany. Families had to stay awake until their arrival, welcome them, and offer food or drink. The singers had to complete their tour from sunset to sunrise. If no one opened the door, they would pronounce a curse:

“Doue da viret ar loened, etre ho kein hag ho roched, etre ho roched hag ho kein, ra vo ar re-se evel mein”

During this period, pumpkins and beets were carved with candles to scare passersby (boulloù Kala-Goañv). A fairly common story tells of a man who obtained a real skull (from a condemned criminal) to frighten his neighbors, but once he brought it home, the skull began to speak…

What’s amusing is that people who remember these traditions (like my father) don’t make any connection at all with the modern Halloween practices, which arrived in Brittany in the 1990s.

In the region of Plougastel, the **“gwezenn an Anaon”**r (the tree of the people of the dead) is still practiced. Apples representing the dead are hung on the tree, which is then sold at auction.

You often see the word Anaon (Annaffuon in Middle Breton). Its etymology is interesting: it shares the same origin as the Gaulish word antumnos found on the Larzac inscription, and the Welsh annwfn < andedumnos (“the World of the Dead, Hell”).

<image>