Samhain was a Celtic holiday, marking the end of the harvest and the end of summer. It was regarded as the ‘Celtic New Year,” and the day when the living and the dead came together. In order to keep the mischievous spirits from damaging still unharvested crops with early frosts or blights, Celtic priests, like Druids, would leave food and offer sacrifices to the many deities while dressed in costumes made of animal hides. Candles were placed into carved out squash, as lanterns, to guide the way home for good spirits. Massive bonfires would be lit to burn away the chaff from the harvested crops and in the process burn away all the bad from the previous year.

Gathering together with members of the community to set ablaze last year’s grievances is a tradition that survives in communities through out the country to this day. For example, every year in Crested Butte, Colo. around this time there is what’s called the ‘Burning of the Grump,” where all the gear (skis, climbing ropes, packs, boots, tents, etc.) involved in tragic accidents is thrown on a bonfire and burned away. It’s an all night party, to say the least.

The name Halloween is a variation of ‘all hallows eve,” which is to say, literally, the evening before All Hallows Day or All Saints Day. Pope Gregory III moved the Christian feast of All Saints Day to Nov. 1 from May 13 to better correspond with a number of pagan harvest festivals. The Romans were notorious for first ‘conquering” and then incorporating the better aspects of their ‘conquered” foe’s culture into their own. After encountering the Celts sometime around 40 A.D., the Romans adopted many of their festivals and brought many of the Celt’s religious celebrations home to Rome. The Church of Rome had decreed a holiday began at sunset the day before, which is why Oct. 31, the eve of all Saint’s Day, was and is celebrated. Halloween is essentially, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve all thrown together as one big party for the Pagans.

In America, the old Celtic tradition of hollowing out various squashes, lighting a candle and placing it inside continues. Using the pumpkin became the gourd of choice in America around the 1850′s. Colonial America doesn’t have much in the historical record regarding celebrations, perhaps due to the strict adherence to Puritan religious beliefs and just general practicalities. However, there are a few accounts of Halloween celebrations mixing with Native American harvest celebrations reminiscent of the Celtic traditions in Britain.

Irish and Scottish immigrants helped shape Halloween into the widely celebrated event we recognize today. Scottish immigrants celebrated with fireworks. The telling of ghost stories, playing games like bobbing for apples, and making mischief were all born out of the Scottish tradition. Today, if one has a Scottish grandmother, she might remember Dooking, or the act of holding a knife or fork between the teeth and then dropping it onto an apple. The winner of the game is the one who’s apple doesn’t tip over after it is stuck with the cutlery.

Likewise, if one had an Irish grandmother he might have had his fortunes read in the rings of his cup and saucer in a game called, Puicini. Another popular way to scare the grandchildren, was to tell the young women sit in a darkened room and gaze into a mirror. They were then told the face of their future husband would appear. If a skull appeared, however, the girl would be dead before her 18th birthday.

So, what’s the deal with all this candy? Around 1900 the focus of Halloween was completely divorced from All Saint’s Day in popular culture and swung back to more of a harvest celebration involving practical jokes and revelry. An old English term dating back to the Middle-ages, “Guising,” referred to the poor asking for food or money. At Halloween children then adopted the practice of guising or wearing a disguise, and dressing up in costumes. In the 1900′s, children rarely went door to door asking for food or money during Halloween, due in part to poor infrastructure like no sidewalks, poor drainage, unpaved streets and poor lighting. It was more the fashion to go to a large party where everyone, kids included would be dressed up and wearing costumes. Less emphasis was placed on fear and superstition in favor of a more light-hearted celebration.

By its very nature Halloween brings out the darker aspects of the human experience. Death, ghosts, superstition all drum up some deeply rooted emotional responses. Despite attempts by good-natured people to lighten the tone of Halloween, the dark side will always persist and pranks and mischief prevail. In the 1920s and 1930s, vandalism, property damage even physical assaults were quite common. The Ku Klux Klan used the fear-based aspects of Halloween to terrorize minorities and set fires. Because of rampant vandalism and unsocial behavior, schools and community organizations like the Boy Scouts organized safe events like school carnivals and local neighborhood ‘trick or treat” outings for children. Believe it or not, in the mid 1920′s, the concept of ‘Trick or Treat” was seen by some, even leaders in the community, as a form of extortion leading to the ever-popular ‘egging” of those who didn’t participate in the handing out of treats. “Trick or Treat” first appeared in print in 1934 when a Portland newspaper ran an article about how Halloween pranks kept local police officers on their toes. What we recognize today as kids dressing up and ‘Trick or Treating,” didn’t really catch on until the mid to late 1940′s and early 50′s with the advent of another new concept, the suburbs.

Anoka, Minn. considers itself to be the “Halloween Capital of the World,” a title it wrestles back and forth with Salem Mass., home to the famous Salem Witch Trials. In 1920, Anoka town leaders organized a parade and promised popcorn, peanuts and candy to any children who participated in the parade and promised not to participate in pranks like ‘cow tipping” and other like-minded shenanigans. The parade took place in the evening and was followed by a bonfire in the town square. The event grew and has been held every year since, with the exception of 1942 and 1943 due to World War II. Anoka today holds an elaborate Halloween festival complete with a parade, carnival, and not only costume contests but, house decorating contests as well.

It’s a well-known fact, the popularity of Halloween increases every year. Today, it is America’s second largest commercial holiday next to Christmas, generating nearly $7 billion in revenue from the little country pumpkin patch up above Allegany to the CEO of Hershey’s. Weather it’s visiting haunted attractions, like the ‘Haunted Halls” at Bandon’s high school, or trick or treating with the kids at the Mall in Coos Bay, or taking the family to spend the night in a haunted hotel like the Stanley in Estes Park, or hosting a scary movie marathon, even building a giant French catapult called a ‘Trebouche” to hurl pumpkins hundreds of feet through the air, the simple fact remains that Halloween is fun and it’s here to stay. Big business will see to that.

By Nicholas T. Martin
Special to The World
Nicholas T. Martin is a freelance writer. He can be reached at nickmartin@ntmphoto.com.

For hundreds of years, Coos tribal ancestors traveled between their bayside villages and hunting and foraging grounds on a trail from present-day North Bend to Empire.

In the 1850s, Charles Merchant refused to sell alcohol in his North Bend store, so thirsty loggers, mill hands and shipyard workers followed the same route to saloons and entertainment.

In July, a collaboration between the Coos Historical & Maritime Museum and numerous volunteers and agencies created the Sawmill & Tribal Trail.

The 5.6-mile route follows trails and city streets. Thirty-five points of interest are marked with posts bearing a saw-blade logo and a number. A brochure briefly describes the point of interest at each number. Some points explain native uses of plants at that spot; others tell the history of a building. One marks the spot of a notorious armed robbery.

Soon, QR codes on the posts will let smartphone users access detailed information about each point.
At an inaugural hike July 17, Coos Bay City Councilor Jennifer Groth, vice president of the museum’s board of trustees, said the museum hopes to use the trail for a lot of teaching opportunities.
‘Learning about history is more fun outside the building,” she said.
Brochures with the trail map and points of interest are available at the Coos Historical & Maritime Museum and the Coos Bay Visitor Center.

By Gail Elber
Special to The World

This free event is inspired by traditional tribal observances of the return of salmon from the ocean to their upriver spawning beds. It will feature a Native American marketplace, canoe races and cultural exhibits, as well as fun activities for children.

Drummers, flutists, storytellers and dancers will perform throughout both days. There will also be a weigh-in station for participants in the 12th Annual Coos Basin Amateur Salmon Derby, which runs concurrently with the celebration.

In addition, a traditional salmon bake dinner, cooked over an open pit in the tradition of the Coquille people, will be served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Tickets for the dinner, including a commemorative T-shirt, cost $25 for adults and $17 for those 12 and under. Members of the casino’s Millionaires Club receive a $5 discount.

Saturday night will be capped with a performance by Pow Wow Comedy Jam, a nationally renowned group of Native American comedians. Tickets for the performance, which starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Salmon Room at the casino, are $18 per person, with club members receiving an $8 discount.

Left to right, Jody Hill, Earla Bradley, Margery Whitmer, Jeanne Woods and Josie Reed. Photo by Lou Sennick

The Wild Women of Charleston, a group shrouded in years of myth and tall tales, will host a fashion show at Englund Marine Supply and a wine pour at the Charleytown Marketplace.

Their goal?

‘We’re going to have fun all day long,” Wild Woman Earla Bradley said. ‘Fun is what we’re all about.”

The fashion show begins at 1:30 p.m., featuring ‘silly and fun Charleston apparel for all members of the family,” from local businesses including Mother of the Bride — Boat Basin Plaza & Drydock Gifts, Hallmark Fisheries, Pacific Choice Seafood, Kinnee’s Gifts n’ Shells, and the Charleytown Marketplace.

The Wild Women encourage their guests to don original Wild Women costumes of their own design, and participate in a competition to be named the most uniquely dressed.

Margery Whitmer gives Charlie some well deserved love. Photo by Lou Sennick

After ogling the weird and wonderful fashions of Charleston’s wildest citizens, visitors can proceed to the wine pour at 3 p.m., to quench their thirst for even more coastal culture.

“We will be proudly introducing the new ‘Wild Women of Charleston’ wine label and wine, and the pourer will be Dino from Old Bridge Winery,” fellow member Margery Whitmer said. ‘They’re doing this to promote themselves as well.”

The Women will also use this time to toast coastal citizens and some new additions to the local community, including the new road along Cape Arago Highway and the new visitors center in Coos Bay.

‘Before anything else, we’re toasting Charleston and its fishermen and merchants,” Whitmer said.

The wildest one of all, Mel Campbell, is flanked by Josie Reed, left and Jeanne Woods, right. Photo by Lou Sennick

‘Wild Women of Charleston applications will be available for those interested in becoming members,” Whitmer said.

What does it mean to be one of Charleston’s Wild Women? Though based in a small town, the group includes members from all over the globe, including men. Since its formation in the 1990s, the group has dedicated itself to putting Charleston on the map with fun activities such as parades, crab feeds and mud wrestling, always emphasizing the town’s importance.

‘Coos County needs Charleston. Charleston is really where it’s at,” Whitmer said. ‘You’ve got the romance, you’ve got the fresh seafood, you’ve got the spirit and you’ve got the freedom.”

By Lucia Vaughan
Special to The World
Lucia Vaughan is a freelance writer. She can be reached at lucia_vaughan@hotmail.com.

A brief history

Oldtimers in the area may remember Charleston’s notoriously seedy Red’s Tavern and its rambunctious patrons. Stories were told of men circling the pool table on horseback, and wild celebrations of successful fishing voyages. The tales saturated the tavern’s walls like the music and laughter that spilled into streets.

It was here the legend of the Wild Women of Charleston had its beginning. Enormous women, boisterous and strong, wind-whipped and sand-crusted, were said to have danced on Red’s tabletops and made mischief in the spirit of freedom and good times.

Years later, in the mid-1990s, after the swirl of folklore surrounding these ferocious females had grown progressively more weird and wonderful, three Charleston business women came together over wine one summer afternoon. They decided to create an organization immortalizing these women of yore.

Since then, the three, Mel Campbell, Margery Whitmer and Earla Bradley, have turned the Wild Women of Charleston into a society of spirited folks who spread fun and goodwill.

Photo by Geneva Miller

Built above the high-water mark, the Port Orford dock is one of the country’s few dolly docks. Industrial cranes lift boats in and out of the water to minimize the hard knocks delivered by the waves. Forty commercial fishing boats dock on-site full time, and port manager Gary Anderson estimated the port conducts 3,500 commercial lifts per year.

The first port district was established in Port Orford in 1919, but the present dock was completed just 10 years ago.

The Port of Port Orford sits between Coast Guard Hill and Fort Point, in one of the most dramatic coastal vistas on the West Coast, rocky reefs support a thriving array of marine life.

‘The fishing here is probably the best in the state because of the rocks,” Anderson said.

Mark Lottis of Five Star Charters said the rocky habitat, combined with a comparatively small fishing fleet, makes Port Orford an ideal destination for commercial and recreational bottom fishing. Out on the water, Lottis and his customers enjoy watching all manner of marine life, including seals, whales, puffins, murres and harlequin ducks.

Under the water, kelp forests grow as lush as timber on land.
‘The plant life is so beautiful here. The colors are just amazing,” said diver and underwater photographer Claudia Fowler. Fowler has been diving recreationally for years, and said she prefers Port Orford’s reefs and kelp forests to any of the many Pacific sites she has explored.

Landlubbers also can enjoy a day at the docks, watching boats launch or bring in a live catch. After docking, fishermen transfer the fish to saltwater storage tanks.

The majority of the catch is shipped live to markets in the California Bay Area. But locals can sample local seafood at restaurants in Port Orford.

The Port of Port Orford is located at 300 Dock Road, off U.S. Highway 101 South. Visit portofportorford.com for docking and lift requirements. Visit 5starcharters.com for information about charter fishing.

By Geneva Miller
Special to The World
Geneva Miller is a freelance writer. She can be reached at migelyn@aol.com.

Photo by Benjamin Brayfield

‘Since we have all this wind, we might as well celebrate it,” said Port Manager Gina Dearth.

WindFest is also an opportunity to celebrate local artisans and cottage industries. Last year, more than 30 vendors lined the Coquille River boardwalk, selling domestic arts and crafts in a wide range of genres. This year, WindFest revelers will find traditional art painting and photography prints, as well as glass art and jewelry.

Visitors can sample the scents and textures of handmade soap and candles. Local fiber arts include knitted, crocheted, embroidered and quilted goods. There are sweet treats from the dessert wagon and live music at the amphitheater. Classic rock performer Skeet will take the stage on Saturday afternoon, and the Hudson Ridge bluegrass band will play Sunday afternoon.

Co-sponsored by Koffee ‘n Kites, WindFest activities include family kite flying Saturday afternoon and free kite making for children both days. Koffee ‘n Kites owner Laura Kreft said children of all ages enjoy assembling their kits and decorating kites with original designs. Kreft is an avid kite enthusiast herself.

“I like to put my MP3 player on and fly my stunt kites with music. It’s like dancing in the sky,” she said.

The Year of the Rabbit art show, sponsored by the Port of Bandon, Coos County Cultural Coalition and AVK Arts, features paintings by local students and adults. The paintings are on display through early September.

Boardwalk visitors can cast votes for their favorite adult and student art pieces at Tony’s Crab Shack. The Bandon boardwalk is also home to a permanent collection of wooden and metal sculptures by nationally recognized artists.

The newest sculpture, located near the boat launch, is an octopus by Chris Foltz of Coos Bay.

The boardwalk is located on the north side of First Street in Old Town Bandon. Admission is free. For more information, call the Port of Bandon at 541-347-3206.

By Geneva Miller
Special to The World
Geneva Miller is a freelance writer. She can be reached at migelyn@aol.com.

Photo by Lou Sennick

They find it by piloting their craft over a quarter-mile-long course at speeds up to 170 mph.

If that’s your idea of water sports, weigh anchor and head for Lakeside Aug. 20-21 when drag boat racers will gather on Tenmile Lake for the Neil Donegan Classic, part of the Columbia Drag Boat Association’s Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.

Except for substituting water for asphalt, drag boat races mirror car drags.

Six brackets, or classes, comprise competition. They are based on a boat’s elapsed time along a quarter-mile course, dividing boats into five brackets from 7 seconds to 11, plus a River Racer bracket for boats that cover the course in 11 seconds or more.

Bracket racing, sometimes called handicap racing, allows two boats capable of different speeds to compete head head basis.

The two drivers decide how fast they can go and dial in a time. If one driver dials in 8 seconds, and the other dials in 8.5, the second driver gets a half-second head start.

In theory, the race will end in a dead heat; in practice it almost never does.

The first boat across the finish line wins — as long as it doesn’t go faster than the time its driver dialed in. That’s called breaking out, and doing so forfeits the race.

The faster brackets feature some pretty exotic boats. It’s not unusual to see these speedsters powered by fuel-injected, supercharged, 2,500-horsepower V8 engines that would look at home in a Top Fuel Funny Car dragster.

Because these boats are so fast — and because crashing at 170 mph is a serious matter, whether it’s on water or pavement — they’re built with a safety capsule for the driver.

The capsules typically use the cockpit glass from fighter aircraft, and have 45 minutes of air in a tank for the driver to breathe in the event the boat capsizes or breaks apart.

At the other end of the speed spectrum are the River Racers, a class that in car racing is sometimes called ‘run what you brung.” River Racers can be just about anything that floats and covers the course in more than 11 seconds.

A good example of the spirit of the class is illustrated by a boater who arrived at a CDBA event from out of town, unaware the lake was closed for the races.

What he saw looked like so much fun that he entered his bass boat in the River Racer class. Four years later he’s become a regular.

Drag boat racing is a spectator-friendly sport, especially geared toward families. Boats don’t go into the water until their race is called, so it’s easy to stroll around the pits and get a close look at the equipment. Drivers are happy to talk to fans and show them their boats.

Photo by Beth Burback

Five days a week, Theresa Bolch cruises the sand roads of the spit, educating the public about recreational opportunities and use restrictions of this long lick of land.

About five miles long and one mile wide, the spit forms the western rim of Coos Bay. Its sand dunes, forest, marsh and beach are home to many animals and plants, such as deer, foxes, raccoons, osprey, shore pines, beach grass, and at least two endangered species, the Western snowy plover and the pink sand verbena.

Bloch is a biological science technician for the Bureau of Land Management, one of several agencies with jurisdiction on the North Spit. Traveling the North Spit in her 4-wheel-drive vehicle, Bolch is the face of BLM, treating visitors with dignity as she listens to their concerns.

Her welcoming friendliness makes the public receptive to the BLM message of enjoying a pleasant, safe recreational experience while respecting the fragile species that inhabit this wedge of wild beauty.

Bolch recently met a husband and wife at the entrance to the spit.

“Hi, how are you? Have you been here before?”

No, they answered.

“Then you’ll want a map.”

She retrieved one from her vehicle.

“The ocean beach is closed to motorized vehicles,” she said. ‘But there are 12 miles of sand roads you can ride on.”

She indicated the areas, then gave the visitors the detailed map, which she helped produce. At first the couple was stand-offish. But by the end of the conversation, they were laughing, at ease with Bolch and her message.

Back in her vehicle, Bolch logged the contact.

In the summer, she sometimes speaks with as many as 200 people in a day, running up a total of 45,000 visitor contacts during the nine years she has traveled the North Spit.

Next, she stopped at the bay beach site where about 30 people were camped. A young man greeted her, telling her how the group visits the spit yearly. She asked if they needed trash bags and gave them her card.

“If you have problems, give me a call,” she said. ‘Thank you for reading and obeying the signs.”

She logged the contact.

BLM follows a policy of separating user groups as a way to keep all visitors safe. Each group has its specified area of the spit: 12 miles of sand roads around the perimeter for motorized vehicles, 12 miles of interior trails for hikers and horseback riders.

After several more contacts, Bolch arrived at the beach near the jetty, where she checked the ropes and signs marking the restricted area, the summer home of the Western snowy plovers. The BLM is under federal mandate to protect the tiny shore birds that breed along the ‘wrack line,” where high tides deposit seaweed and other flotsam. Their habitat encroached upon, their numbers were nearing extinction until a federal program to safeguard their breeding area was enacted.

From March 15 until Sept. 15, the dry sand area of the North Spit ocean beach is closed to all entry, and the wet sand area is closed to motorized vehicles. Violating this restriction risks a $300 federal fine.

The sand roads can be a driving hazard. Bolch and her BLM colleagues carry shovels and plywood to help dig out sand-mired vehicles.

“We want visitors to have a good time, to respect the environment, and have a safe recreational experience,” she said. ‘Birdwatchers, ATVers, boaters, hikers, horseback riders, all are welcome here.”

By Carol Sanders
Special to The World

Photo by R.J. Guyer

Many enjoy the swift cascading waters of the Pistol and Elk Rivers. But the Rogue River has earned a reputation for its world-class whitewater.

Rain and snowmelt feed the rapidly descending water that flows out from the Coast Range toward the ocean. Rocks and boulders churn the bone-chilling waters. The resulting rapids burst on impact, serving up anything from a cool spray to an all-out drenching.

Fog often shrouds the coastline, making mornings cooler near the ocean. Further inland, clouds give way to sunshine and warmer temperatures.

Rafter Ann Caldwell from Roseburg recalls, ‘It was chilly when we left at 10 a.m., but by noon it was hot and we were ready for the rapids.”

More than 35,000 acres were designated by Congress as the Rogue Wilderness Area. Here the Rogue River narrows as the orientation becomes more vertical. Steep walls begin to close in as you enter the scenic canyon. In the distance you see the rippling water as the mighty Rogue prepares to unleash its power.

The cascading waters toss and dump you. Your craft collides with chopping waves as the currents tug from all directions.

It’s not all about rapids, though. Many sections of the river let you float serenely and enjoy the area’s diverse wildlife. The river basin has been called ‘the floating zoo,” with frequent sightings of osprey, bald eagles, salmon, deer and even the occasional black bear.

Jet boat tours leave from Gold Beach for those seeking to enjoy a comfortable guided tour. Outfitters also offer guided whitewater trips from half a day to extended overnight trips. They supply not only the rafts, kayaks and camping gear, but also meals.

The Bureau of Land Management offers permits for experienced paddlers who want to brave the mighty Rogue’s punishment on their own terms.

‘I have rafted and kayaked rivers throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the Colorado,” Caldwell said. ‘The Rogue is in a class of its own. Although I’m an excellent swimmer, I would not attempt the Rogue on my own. I only go with experienced guides. It actually makes the trips more enjoyable to leave the navigating to them.”

Whether you are just looking to cool off from the summer heat or seeking an adventure of a lifetime, the wild and scenic Rogue River has something for everyone.

By R.J. Guyer
Special to The World
R.J. Guyer is a freelance writer. He can be reached at renadvent12@hotmail.com.

Jerry’s Rogue River Jet Boats was established in 1958 as the original operation with jet boat tours. Those two companies have merged to become Jerry’s Rogue Jets.

Hop aboard, but not without a life jacket and sunscreen. Get ready to grab your seat and grin. But beware, you could get wet with a little spray from another passing boat.

The boats offer exciting whitewater trips into the Rogue Wilderness and make stops at lodges along the way where the option of a meal is provided.

Jerry’s Rogue Jets offers jet boat trips.
Call 1-800-451-3645
29985 Harbor Way
Gold Beach
www.roguejets.com