All over the world people celebrate the arrival of spring with joy and hope, but only in Bulgaria this celebration is welcome with tradition from the old times.
Every year on March 1, Bulgarians wake up with one of the best traditional festivals – Baba Marta and red and white martenitza.
Mythical Baba Marta (Granny March) embodies the spring, the sun, which easily can burn people’s faces. According to the belief, Baba Marta is an old limping lady. Because of that she carries an iron cane to rest on it. Folk beliefs describe her as very unpredictable. When she smiles, the sun is shining. When she is angry, cold numbs the ground. Most of the rituals aim to appease her.
Martenitza – these two red and white twisted threads – carries its unique symbol. For Bulgarians who are wearing the traditional martenitza, red is the color of blood and life and white is accepted as the color of purity and happiness. It is strongly believed in magic gift of red color, which will bring health and strength. Everyone believes that white thread from the martenitza will give that happiness, for which secretly everyone dreams of.
These white and red threads, so unique, bond Bulgarians around the world, wherever they are, and always mean wishes for health and happiness.
Martenitza… This magical amulet, inherited by our predecessors, is the first sign of the coming spring. Therefore each Bulgarian wears martenitza on the 1st of March, symbolizing the belief that from now on everything will be better. People smile because they believe that they have won the benevolence of Baba Marta.
Baba Marta is hurrying up
She ties martinitzi everywhere
Blue and brown, red and white,
For strong health and peaceful year.
01 Mar 2020
