Neewollah Week in Independence

Has Halloween become a more important holiday than it used to be? A very festive (for some people) holiday here in s.e. Kansas is Neewollah, which is Halloween spelled backward. It began in the 1920's as a way to keep children involved in safe and friendly activities instead of getting into mischief. In those days, it was a single day event on October 31, but in recent years it has evolved into a two week event, the final ten days of October, this year from October 19 through October 29. It has evolved into a combination Mardis Gras festival and OctoberFest for southeast Kansas. Far from being a way to keep children out of mischief, it has evolved into a way for guys to be rowdy, often times from too much drink. This Saturday night will be the big event of the season with a costume ball party at the Independence Country Club for the more formal among us; plenty of drinking and carousing for everyone else.

My cats always get very nervous and scared when Neewollah comes around each year. I very rarely let them go outside at all after dark, and certainly not during Neewollah.