Baba Marta

Baba Marta (Bulgarian: Баба Марта, "Grandmother March") is the name of a mythical figure who brings with her the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring. Her holiday of the same name is celebrated in Bulgaria on March 1 with the exchange and wearing of martenitsi.

Baba Marta

Baba Marta is seen as an old lady who has very contrasting moods. This is related to the weather during the month of March, which is traditionally extremely variable in Bulgaria – warm and sunny weather means that Baba Marta is happy; when she is angry, the winter frost returns.^[1] The majority of the customs connected to Baba Marta aim to make her happy and so bring about spring faster.

Baba Marta Day

All Bulgarians celebrate on March 1 a centuries-old tradition and exchange martenitsi on what is called the day of Baba Marta, which this year dawned with a shy sun, spelling relatively nice weather ahead. Eagerly followed on March 1 every single year, the tradition of giving your friends red-and-white interwoven strings brings health and happiness during the year and is a reminder that spring is near.

Celebrated on March 1, Baba Marta (Grandma March) is believed to be a feisty lady who always seems to be grudging at her two brothers, while the sun only comes out when she smiles. As folklore often goes there are different versions of the Baba Marta tale. One says that on that day she does her pre-spring cleaning and shakes her mattress for the last time before the next winter - all the feathers that come out of it pour on Earth like snow - the last snow of the year. The martenitsa tradition is thought to have been inspired by Bulgaria's first Khan Asparuh, who sent a white string to his wife to tell her he survived a battle.

Martenitsi

"Martenitsi" are red and white coloured wristbands, or figurines, that symbolise health and happiness. They are given away to friends and family. People are supposed to take off their martenitsi when they see the first signs that spring has already come - a blooming tree or a stork. When the martenitsa is taken off some tie it to a tree - one that they'd like to be especially fruitful. Others place it under a rock and based on what they find there the next morning guess what kind of a year this one would be. The martenitsa now comes in all shapes and sizes - from Guinness-worth giant building packages to two tiny simple strings gently placed on a newborn's arm. Children usually compete who will get the most and often walk around more ornate than a Christmas tree. However, it always bears the same meaning - a lucky charm against the evil spirits of the world, a token for health and a sign of appreciation.

Baba Marta folklore is present in southern and eastern Serbia where it is a usual reference as to the sudden and unexpected freezing weather change after a spring break.

See also

• Martenitsa
• Pizho and Penda
• Baba Marta Day
• Baba Dochia

On March 1 Bulgarians pay tribute to Grandma March, also known as Baba Marta, by tying red and white strings called martenitsa around their wrists. The bracelet serves as reminder of the coming change of season. The white color symbolizes first man, the power light solar zone. Later, under the influence of Christian mythology indicates the integrity and virginity – the white is the color of Christ. Red is the woman and health: it is a sign of blood, conception and birth. In ancient times women’s wedding dress were red. Matenitsi is kind of amulet against evil forces and wearing a martenitsa is a magical ritual act: the twisted red and white wool threads protect people through the mechanisms of black magic.

All over the world people meet spring with joy and new hope but it is only in Bulgaria where it is saved as an ancient custom. If you are walking along the streets in Bulgaria on 1 March you will witness many smiling faces, but first of all your eyes will be captured by martenitsi. Everyone has decorated their clothes with them. Moreover, you can see decorated dogs and cats. In the small villages in the mountains people decorate their domestic animals: lambs, kids, young horses. Houses have their own martenitsa, as well.

People wear martenitsa for a certain period of time. Usually the end of the period is connected with the first signs of the coming spring - blossomed trees, meeting of the first spring birds like storks, swallows or cranes. Then people remove their martenitsa and tie them to a blossomed fruit tree.

References

External links

• Grandmother Marta, traditional Bulgarian custom, from BalkanFolk.com, 26 Feb 2009. Retrieved Mar 2009.