HOP TU NAA OR HALLOWEEN 2

Due to a techincal hitch cdp, theme day books could not be posted. By the way that is not Norman Bates house from Psycho, but flats on Mooragh Promenade. Instead I follow on from Skywatch and the difference between Halloween and the Isle Of Man celebration of "Hop Tu Naa." Since yesterday's post I have found that "trick or treat" far from being an American idea may indeeed have it's origins in Hop Tu Naa. In older times children would have brought the stumps of turnips(not pumpkins) with them and batter the doors of those who refused to give them any money! So is the Isle of Man to blame for introducing the more sedate" trick or treat" to the world afterall?

Like to learn "The Hop Tu Naa" song. Manx Or English? Ok both

Hop-tu-Naa in Manx	Hop-tu-Naa in English
Shoh shenn oie Houiney; Hop-tu-naa	This is old Hollantide night; Hop-tu-naa
T'an eayst soilshean; Trol-la-laa.	The moon shines bright; Trol-la-laa.
Kellagh ny kiarkyn; Hop-tu-naa.	Cock of the hens; Hop-tu-naa
Shibber ny gauin; Trol-la-laa.	Supper of the heifer; Trol-la-laa.
'Cre'n gauin marr mayd ? Hop-tu-naa.	Which heifer shall we kill? Hop-tu-naa
Yn gauin veg vreac. Trol-la-laa.	The little speckled heifer. Trol-la-laa.
Yn chione kerroo, Hop-tu-naa.	The fore-quarter, Hop-tu-naa
Ver mayd 'sy phot diu; Trol-la-laa.	We'll put in the pot for you. Trol-la-laa.
Yn kerroo veg cooyl, Hop-tu-naa.	The little hind quarter, Hop-tu-naa
Cur dooin, cur dooin. Trol-la-laa.	Give to us, give to us. Trol-la-laa.
Hayst mee yn anvroie, Hop-tu-naa.	I tasted the broth, Hop-tu-naa
Scoald mee my hengey, Trol-la-laa.	I scalded my tongue, Trol-la-laa.
Ro'e mee gys y chibber, Hop-tu-naa.	I ran to the well, Hop-tu-naa
As diu mee my haie, Trol-la-laa.	And drank my fill; Trol-la-laa.
Er my raad thie, Hop-tu-naa.	On my way back, Hop-tu-naa
Veeit mee kayt-vuitsh; Trol-la-laa.	I met a witch cat; Trol-la-laa.
Va yn chayt-scryssey, Hop-tu-naa.	The cat began to grin, Hop-tu-naa
As ren mee roie ersooyl. Trol-la-laa.	And I am a slag away. Trol-la-laa.
Cre'n raad ren oo roie Hop-tu-naa.	Where did you run to? Hop-tu-naa
Roie mee gys Albin. Trol-la-laa.	I ran to Scotland. Trol-la-laa.
Cred v'ad jannoo ayns shen ? Hop-til-naa	What were they doing there? Hop-til-naa
Fuinney bonnagyn as rostey sthalgyn. Trol-la-laa.	Baking bannocks and roasting collops. Trol-la-laa.
Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.	Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa

(Loayrt)

My ta shiu goll dy chur red erbee dooin, cur dooin tappee eh,

Ny vees mayd ersooyl liorish soilshey yn cayst

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

(Spoken)

If you are going to give us anything, give it us soon,

Or we'll be away by the light of the moon.

Hop-tu-naa, Trol-la-laa.

Strange island isn't it? Well we do have three legs on our flag! Do you have any halloween songs or traditions, like burning the Wicker Man perhaps. No, that's back to us again.

HOP TU NAA OR HALLOWEEN - SKYWATCH

I'm posting pre posting so the date will be Halloween when this goes live. Yes we celebrate Halloween on the island, although it goes by a different name - "Hop Tu Naa. " So is Halloween or Hop Tu Naa we celebrate and what is the difference?

Hop Tu Naa is a corruption of "Shogh Ta'n Oie" meaning this is the night. What night though? That would be the Celtic New Year - "Oie Houney." The Celtic new year of course has since been moved to Jan. the Celtic year was separated in to 4 and Sauin- "New Year" was celebrated in "Mee Houney" the Manx for November. As Halloween is Oct 31th the new celebrations have become intergrated as one, although younger Manxies now assume "Hop Tu Naa" and Halloween is one in the same and is celebrated thus so.

Pumpkins are halloween, where as true Hop Ta Naa goer should be seen swinging a hollowed out turnip lantern and singing old manx folk songs, not trick or treating. Trick or treating is an American custom which has been adopted in the UK Halloween celebrations, and yes into Manx ones too.

So Hop Tu Naa like a lot of traditions has been swallowed up with a more commercial celebration and has less to to with celebrating the old New Year, and more to do with rotting kids teeth on sweets. Ramsey though and many parts of the island do try and uphold many of the Hop Tu Naa traditions and there is no finer sight than a group of Manxies, swinging those turnip lanterns and singing a manx song. It's also a little creepy to in a Wicker Man sense, but we won't go into that.

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