BABA MARTA - GRANDMA MARTA Chestita Baba Marta!
BABA MARTA - GRANDMA MARTA
Chestita Baba Marta!
You may have spotted the little stalls on the street, which sell “strange” red and white woollen bracelets, puppets and amulets.
For Bulgarians these simple pieces of string are part of a very old tradition.
On March 1, people give each other these woollen charms, called Martenitsi, in order to wish the recipient love and virility, health and protection against evil (Chestita Baba Marta! means Happy Grandma Marta!).
It’s a symbol of the spring season.
You will see smiling people in the street and most of them you’ll see wearing Martenitsi.
But not only people wear them, cats and dogs do too. As do offices and houses.
But especially young children, just married couples or newly born pets should wear these charms, because they are considered still a little fragile.
The red pieces of wool in the Martenitsa, is supposed to drive away evil, the white wool symbolises longevity and eternity. Sometimes, Martenitsi are worn along with things like garlic, blue wool or beads, or a coin.
Each has its own characteristic and has its own ritual meaning.
The coin serves as a wish for wealth, and the blue wool or beads are additional protection from the evil eye. Garlic is a symbol that strengthens the sick and protects the healthy.
There is a saying that “if you don’t wear your Martenitsa, Baba Marta (Grandma Marta) will bring you evil”.
This mythical granny personifies the month of March.
She is an old lady that can just as easily smile and be gentle as hard and mean.
That’s why the weather in March is so unstable. The sun can shine blissfully or it can snow and freeze.
There are a number of rituals that should please Baba Marta, wearing your Martenitsa is one of these rituals.
Another ritual is spring-cleaning, because people believe that the old lady only approves of clean and tidy homes. In order for her to want to visit your home and bless it with all kinds of good wishes of health and bliss, you had better clean up.
During the month of the old lady, men make women choose a specific day in March.
When the weather is nice and sunny, so will your wife’s or girlfriend’s character be during the whole next year.
If the weather however is cold and nasty, then they know they have to prepare to bite their tongue this coming year.
In principle you wear your Martenitsi during the month of March.
And you only stop wearing them on two occasions: either after March 22 when you see a tree with blossoms, or when you see a stork.
But because storks aren’t that plentiful in Sofia’s centre, most people opt for the fresh blossoms.
What you do, is take of your Martenista and tie in to the branch with the blossoms.
Unmarried girls put their Martenitsi under a big stone in order to receive good luck in marriage.
