Hop tu Naa is celebrated on the 31st of October in the Isle of Man. It marks the end of summer, the start of winter and the eve of the Celtic New Year. Carved turnips or ‘moots’ have been made into lanterns for generations on the Island as part of the celebration, but more recently the pumpkin has been gaining ground as the lantern of choice. Certainly, the pumpkin is much easier to carve and they are available in a range of colours, but should we be sticking to the traditional version? I’m always happy to have an excuse to draw some pumpkins (sorry turnips) so I made this question the topic of the Hop tu Naa blog post.
The turnip or ‘moot’ has long been at the heart of Hop-tu-Naa, the Isle of Man’s oldest continuing celebration. Before pumpkins appeared in local shops and markets, Manx children carved lanterns from the exceedingly tough flesh of turnips – a task that required patience and a great deal of effort! These heavy, gnarled roots which were hollowed out by hand and lit from within by a candle, glowed softly as they were carried as lanterns from door to door. Apparently before this, cabbages were put on sticks and used to thump on doors as children moved from house to house (see the Culture Vannin information leaflet on Hop tu Naa).
In recent decades, the pumpkin has emerged as a rival to the turnip lantern. Originally imported from abroad, it has found a place alongside, and sometimes in place of, the traditional turnip lantern. The presence of the pumpkin reflects the gradual blending of older Manx customs with international ones, yet the turnip still remains a distinct emblem of Manx tradition. To carve a turnip is to participate in a practice that connects directly to the Island’s landscape and history.
Should we be breaking out our power tools and tackling turnips instead of pumpkins then? Now that pumpkins are being grown locally (for instance at the Pumpkin Field IoM in Sulby) they now also form a link to the agricultural landscape of the Island. They also make carving lanterns more accessible, although I’d imagine, much less of an achievement. Both turnips and pumpkins are nutritionally fantastic, so if you like to cook with what’s left over after carving there still isn’t a clear winner. I do think it would be sad if there were no ‘moots’ carved for Hop tu Naa though, but knowing the Manx I doubt if this would ever happen. We also have some fantastic artists making the ‘moot’ fashionable and ensuring that the tradition stays firmly in mind (just take a look at Pink Seaweed Gallery for all the lovely mootiness available this Hop tu Naa).
The Isle of Man has managed to continually evolve while preserving its cultural roots and these different forms of lantern, lighting up side by side, reflect this duality. Whichever lanterns you carve, children will sing ‘Jinny the Witch’ as they knock on doors and the cycle of the year will be honoured on the Isle of Man.
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