THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HALLOWEEN
THURSDAY,OCTOBER31,2002
Halloween not scary for Wiccans
By Leslie Kimmel
lkimmel@kansan.com
Jayplay.writer
Larrissa Rothe doesn't see Oct. 31 in a conventional way.Instead of calling it Halloween, she refers to it as Samhain, and instead of seeing it as just a day to dress up, she also sets time aside for meditation and ritual.
Rothe, Omaha, Neb., senior, is president of the Wiccan Pagan Alliance, a group she formed when she was a sophomore.
Rothe said Wicca was a form of Paganism, both of which have diverse followings.
Because every Pagan has a different belief system and uses different definitions, Rothe said, no one practitioner can speak for everyone.
"Wiccans have one rule. It's called the Wiccan Rede: 'And it harm none; do what thou wilt,'" Rothe said. "So basically you can do what you want, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone."
In most cases, each Wiccan belief stems from this original creed. Rothe said her religion was about self-discovery, and no kind of Wiccan book similar to the Christian Bible existed.
Some Wiccans have taken Judaism and Christianity and combined it with Wicca, but Rothe considers herself an eclectic Wiccan because she has taken parts of many beliefs and combined them with traditional Wiccan beliefs.
"I've studied many different religions and many different branches of Paganism and have taken bits and pieces of what feels right to me and formed it into my own belief system," Rothe said.
"I am pretty much Wiccan, but I take from other things," Selenke said.
Amanda Selenke, Winfield senior, also considers herself an eclectic Wiccan. She said she had found parts of other Wiccan systems to form her own personal beliefs.
Most Wiccans consider Samhain, the Wiccan New Year, the most important holiday of the year. Rothe said Samhain was like the Hispanic holiday Dias de los Muertos.
"Wiccans believe that the night of Samhain is when the veil between this world and the spirit world is the thinness, so spirits can cross over," Rothe said. "It is not a scary holiday; it is all about honoring the dead and honoring your ancestors."
Other Pagans recognize Samhain as well. Brandon Geistdoerfer-Munger.
Overland Park junior, said his Pagan belief system was slightly different from Wiccan beliefs, much as Protestant beliefs differ from Catholic beliefs.
Rothe said some Halloween traditions dated as far back as 6000 B.C. but weren't created by Pagans.
The tradition of wearing costumes today was created by some non-Pagans as a practice to scare off demons.
"Pagans wouldn't have dressed up because we are not afraid of the dead," Rothe said.
Other Halloween traditions, such as the American tradition of carving pumpkins, also began as tactics to scare off unwanted spirits.
Most Wiccans believe that everything is made of energy, and they try to tap into that energy to direct it toward a goal, Rothe said.
Rothe said some common misconceptions about Pagans and Wiccans should be ignored.
"It is important to know that witches do not worship Satan. There is no belief in Satan — that is a completely Christian, Muslim and Jewish belief," Rothe said.
— Edited by Amy Schmitz
Creative costumes spice up Halloween
By Janette Yost jyost@kansan.com Jayplay writer
More men are wearing women's clothing than usual this time of year, according to an employee at Sarah's Costumes.
Sarah's Costumes, 927 Massachusetts St., and Fun & Games, 816 Massachusetts St., are within a block of one another. Both specialize in Halloween costumes.
"We have the biggest stock, but our costumes aren't as unusual as Fun & Games," said Bess Chatman, Sarah's Costumes employee and senior at Lawrence High School.
Guys in drag is one of the most popular costumes of the year, she said. The second most popular for men is the Zoot suit 1920s look.
What's most popular for girls?
"Seventies," Chatman said. "Everybody wants to be a go-go girl. Hats have also been really big this year. Everyone loves the hats."
Sexy nurses are a second favorite for
the ladies.
Maggie Kelley, Kansas City, Mo. freshman,shopped at Sarah's Costumes for her outfit.
"I wanted to be an angel, but it's overdone," Kelley said.
At Fun & Games, Julius Fackler employee and Leavenworth senior, said that nurse outfits were even more popular than angels, and devils, cats and mice also made up many costume sales for women.
"I kind of want to be a sexy nurse," she said, eying a little white dress with a red sequined Greek cross on the torso.
Zach Straus/Kansan
Kyle Billings, Lawrence resident and manager of Fun & Games, said Foxy Cleopatra, from Austin Powers in Goldmember, had been a big seller this year.
"I've seen at least five priest-devil hybrids," he said.
Fackler has sold a lot of doctor, pimp and priest outfits to guys.
"I have sold more Cleopatras this year than I ever have before," Billings said, attributing its success to the headdress
Beth Hickey, Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada models a skull mask for Christine Corbett. St. Catherine's, Ontario, Canada, junior yesterday afternoon at Fun and Games, 816 Massachusetts St.
his store's version included with the costume.
Billings also has sold more Elvis costumes this year than before. He owes that to the wig he has for the outfit.
"I even warn people about it," he said. "Once you try it on, you have to get it, it looks so good."
-Edited by Christine Grubbs and Katie Teske
Tricks not Treats Pranks offer a great way to have fun
By Mindy Osborne
jayplay@kansan.com
Jayplay writer
On Halloween, some people enjoy filling up on candy or going to parties but others may prefer to partake in different entertainment endeavors.
Pranks are a mainstay of the fall holiday and can provide a way for some to express their creativity and have fun. All it takes is a little imagination and maybe some people to go along with it.
Erik Hansey, Olathe freshman, said he and some of his friends didn't limit themselves to either playing pranks or trick-or-treating.
"Last Halloween we ran around naked with a pumpkin on our heads and scared little kids," Hansey said. "It led to getting lots of free candy which is the key to an excellent Halloween experience."
This kind of Halloween fun can bring consequences. If people are caught using toilet paper on or throwing eggs at houses, they could be charged for criminal damage to private property.
Hansey said they enjoyed both.
This is considered a misdemeanor, said Lt. Schuyler Bailey of the KU Public Safety Office.
Those on the receiving end of the pranks may or may not enjoy the joke quite as much as those pulling the prank
Molly Cobb, Overland Park freshman has been the brunt of jokes played by her brothers.
When she was younger, they placed a witch's hat in the middle of the floor.
Her brothers had attached a large bucket of water to the hat through a string of paper clips.
When she picked up the hat, water spilled all over the floor.
Fortunately for her brothers, she was understanding.
"In the beginning I was mad," Cob said, "but finally I got over it."
While pulling pranks can provide entertainment on Halloween, make sure to consider the consequences and other options beforehand.
- Edited by Christine Grubbs and Andrew Vaupel