7 Strange Halloween Traditions from Around the World

6. Pangangaluluwa – Philippines

Another country with unique traditions relating to the religious holiday of All Saint’s Day, which takes place on November 1^st, is the Philippines. Although many young people today would much rather dress in costumes and go to parties, there used to be a popular tradition called pangangaluluwa, which involved young children dressing in long white drapery and going door to door on the eve of All Saint’s Day. Instead of asking for candy or treats, the young people would sing traditional prayers and songs in exchange for money.

Typically, the families that they visited would obligingly give them cash in exchange for these prayers, which were thought to benefit the souls of those still in purgatory. Although not many young people take part in pangangaluluwa traditions anymore, it’s experiencing a revival in more rural areas like Sariaya, near Mt. Banahaw. Usually, the money raised doing pangangaluluwa is donated to a charitable cause.

#ExperiencethePhilippines Culture Tuesday: honoring the dead,& the rural tradition of pangangaluluwa, celebrating the eve of All Souls' Day pic.twitter.com/1AvOyLtUb4

— PhilippineEmbassy DC (@philippinesusa) October 31, 2017