Wherever I wondered during the previous week brightly coloured stalls could be found selling all manner of Martenitsi. The one thing they have in common is a thread of red and white. Some have beads some are the more traditional 'Pizho and Penda' as seen here. These tokens are given to loved ones, friends and family on Baba Marta day, the 1st of March. The tradition is celebrated throughout Bulgaria and according to some sources believed to be the oldest Pagan festival in Europe. Baba Marta - Grandma March Day celebrates the end of winter and the coming of spring. She is supposed to be a very bad tempered old lady who's mood swings determine the weather, the sun comes out when she smiles. Some say she doing the spring clean, the feathers from the shaken duvet fall to earth as the last snow of winter. Others that the marteniti are to please her into shortening the winter. The tokens which are given and must never be bought for oneself are worn on the clothing or around the wrist until the first blossom or a migrating bird such as a stalk, swallow or crane is sighted. At this point the martenitsi are hung on the blossoming fruit trees to give health or luck. Others place theirs under a stone. The creature nearest the stone on the following day will denote health prospects for the coming year.
I have had differing explanations as to the significance of the red and white colours. White for the male and light, red for woman and health. At one time bridal dresses were read not white therefore, with the advent of Christianity Christ and purity crept in. Red is life and birth. white is new or cleared ground, ready for planting I presume. Another source relates the colours to the Battle of Ongal in the 7th Century. The white wings of the doves used to send messages turned red with blood over the battlefield. As we all know various religions through the ages incorporated or banned certain traditions with varying degrees of success so I suspect that all of the explanations have an element of truth. Other sources tell me that older Bulgarians refer to this as 'Birch Month' as the Birch trees are the first signs of spring.
Whatever you believe Честита Баба Марта - Happy Baba Marta!
I got sidetracked by the 'Last Kingdom' series of novels written by Bernard Cornwell when I should have been finishing my posts on the visit to Pernik et al. I read the first book in the series as the story starts at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland not far from where I was born. Nine books later I have come up for air! My apologies and I will crank up the engine this week.
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