Martenitsa
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Martenitsa is a Bulgarian tradition related to the 1st of March, which has its origin in the establishment of the Bulgarian state in 681 AD.
Martenitsa1.jpg
The month of March according to Bulgarian folklore marks the beginning of the springtime. Therefore the 1st day of March is a traditional holiday associated with sending off the winter and welcoming the spring.
The tradition is similar in many ways with the Romanian custom of Mărţişor, celebrated on the same day.
A Legend of the Martenitsa
Khan Kubrat’s five sons went hunting accompanied by their sister Houba. When they reached the River Danube they saw a silver stag. Mesmerized the men did not dare shoot an arrow at him. The stag crossed over to the opposite bank of the river showing them there was a ford.
A bird flew to them bringing bad tidings. The founder of Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. In his last hours Kubrat wanted to tell his offspring—Bayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek—not to sever the still tenuous link between the different Bulgarian tribes. His sons vowed to defend Bulgaria.
Soon after their father’s death, the Khazars invaded their lands. The Khazar`s Khan Ashiba succeeded in conquering the capital Ababa. Houba, Kubrat`s daughter was taken prisoner by Ashiba. Wishing to give her brothers a chance to opt for freedom, Houba tried to commit suicide. However the guards stopped her.
Her brothers kept their vows in different ways. Bayan stayed with his sister and recognized the supremacy of the Khazars. Kotrag went northwards, to the River Volga, while Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to search for a land without oppressors.
They secretly arranged it with Houba to send her word by a golden thread tied to the leg of a bird, whenever they were able to find a free land. One day a falcon sent by Asparukh flew into Houba`s room. Bayan and Houba had decided to leave secretly. Just as they were looking for where to cross the river Danube, pursuers spotted them and overtook them. Trying to find a ford, Houba let the falcon free. She had tied a white thread to his legs and handed it to her brother.
When the bird was about to take off, an enemy arrow pierced Bayan and warm blood drops stained the white thread.
Nevertheless, both Bayan and Houba managed to reach the land Asparukh had found (Present day Bulgaria). Asparukh welcomed his dying brother and his sister. He tore pieces of white-and-red stained thread and adorned his soldiers with them.
Tradition
The tradition is that on the 1st of March and the days after all people give to each other very interesting strips or small wool dolls called Pizho and Penda (see the picture), or as we call them Martenitsi. They bear the name of March, in Bulgarian Mart. But according to our tradition, behind the name Mart stands an angry old lady who changes her mood very rapidly. Her name is Grandma Marta, in Bulgarian Baba Marta.
The tradition has remained almost the same today as it began. Today Bulgarians give the red and white colors to please Baba Marta so she will not make us cold. In doing so, we hope the spring will come as soon as possible. Once we have those tokens, which we put on our clothes or wrist, we wear them until we see a stork. After seeing this bird, we have to take away the tokens; because the stork is showing us that the spring is already here. In the different parts of the country, however, the process of taking away the token is different. Some tie it on a fruit tree, thus giving the tree the health and luck that we had while having the token. Others put it under a stone. The kind of insect we find right next to the token the next day will determine our health for the rest of the year. If it is a worm, it will be a very healthy year, and we will have success. It is the same in with an ant; the difference is that we will have to work a lot to reach success. If it is a spider, then we are in trouble and we might not have that luck with health and personal success.
The "martenitsa" is also an odd artistic image of nature. At that period of the year, nature is full of hopes and expectations. It also symbolized the purity of the white snow going away and the red settings of the sun becoming more and more intensive with the coming spring. These two natural resources are necessary for the life as well as the male and female spirits.
A decoration with "martenitsi" is the most typical and unique Bulgarian tradition. Now the "martenitsa" symbolized new life, conception, fertility, and spring. This holiday is for joy, health and long life. This Bulgarian tradition is pure and bright like the colors of the "martenitsa". It shows us the necessity of harmony in nature and in people's lives. This is the sincere message from the "martenitsa".