Filed under: Sofia, Bulgaria | Tags: Baba Marta, Bulgaria, culture, Martenitsa, tradition
Today is the first of March, a special day in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian culture is very rich in traditions, stories and also superstitions.
Naturally, people are craving for spring to arrive at this time and in Bulgaria it is believed that the month of March (called “mart” or “март” in Cyrillic letters) is a grumpy old lady who often might send even more snow to the country in her moodiness. In order to please Baba Marta (Grandma March) people give each other so-called Martenitsas (мартеница). These are little adornments made of red and white yarn, worn around the wrist. Red and white are symbols for health (red cheeks) and a long life (white hair). I received one from my Bulgarian friend today and I feel honoured and happy to be part of the tradition!
The Martenitsa has to be kept around the wrist until one sees a sparrow, a stork or a budding tree – or alternatively until the 22nd of March. Once you saw any of the above or it’s the end of March you have to take off the Martenitsa and put it either around the branch of a tree or under a rock, then you make a wish.
If you ever visit Bulgaria, have a close look at the trees there, you will spot a lot of Martenitsas!
My Martenitsa (actually it should be worn on the left wrist I just read... oops)
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Love the idea of Baba Marta.
We’re not out of winter yet: ‘April is the cruellest month’ is the opening of a TS Eliot poem, but I’m happy it’s March and welcome the extra light.
Comment by Richard Bailey March 1, 2011 @ 2:30 PMOh yeah, we have a similar rhyme about April in Germany as well. I guess Bulgarians are lucky to be more in the mediterranean region, April must be nicer than Baba Marta!
Comment by karinsfernweh March 1, 2011 @ 2:35 PMa nice tradition Kariiin !!!
Comment by Hans March 1, 2011 @ 9:41 PM[...] there are a lot of new stories that I would like to share with you. I’ve been to the Lake District last weekend and yesterday I got back from a weekend at Bath and Avebury and Stonehenge. I’ll write about that very soon, uni is keeping me rather busy, sorry! Anyways, here’s a little update on the Martenitsa story, the Bulgarian tradition I told you about a few weeks ago. [...]
Pingback by Little update on Martenitsa « Karins Fernweh March 21, 2011 @ 11:24 AM