LOOK.info congratulates its readers Baba Marta. We wish you health, luck and love!
Baba Marta is a mythical character in Bulgarian folklore. In folk beliefs, represented in proverbs and fairy tales, her name is connected with the name of the month “March”. There are three months that are personified in Bulgarian mythical representations – January, February and March. January and February are represented as brothers with a fierce character – Big Sechko and Small Sechko. Baba Marta is considered their sister, who is sometimes smiling and benevolent, sometimes unpredictably evil.
Many customs and holidays dedicated to the coming spring are associated with Baba Marta and the month of March. The most famous custom associated with Baba Marta is the adornment of people and young animals with Martenitsa (twisted white and red thread) on March 1 – the day of Baba Marta’s arrival. Throughout the month, rites are performed to drive away snakes and lizards, as well as fortune-telling related to certain migratory birds.
In folklore, Baba Marta is represented as the sister or wife of Golyam Sechko (January) and Little Sechko (February). She is always unhappy with them – either they drank her wine (if they are her brothers), or that they have done some big mischief. The old woman (bride) is angry with them, as a result of which the weather is spoiled.
According to a common tale, an old goatherd took her herd to the mountains in the last days of March, thinking that Baba Marta would grant her good weather, because she was as old as she. Grandma Marta got angry, asked to borrow a few days from her brother April, and got them. These days are called in folk tradition “borrowed days”, “borrowers”, “counted days”. Marta unleashed heavy snows and blizzards that froze the goatherd and her herd in the mountains. The frozen ones turned into a pile of stones, from which healing water flowed.
The custom of tying Martenitsa (twisted white and red woolen threads) on March 1 originates from the ancient Bulgarians, whose khans tied Martenitsa to their tribesmen for fighting strength, health and longevity. Today the holiday is known in Bulgaria, and later also in Romania, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia. In Romania, martenitsa are tied on the hands only of women and small children, and men can only wear martenitsa in a hidden place, for example in the shoe. In Greece, martenitsi are tied only on children’s hands. In Bulgaria, martenitsi are also tied to young animals and trees, also to men.
The oldest woman must clean the house mainly before sunrise, take out and spread a red fabric outside – a tablecloth, a mat, a belt or an apron. It is believed that this will please Baba Marta, and cause her favor towards the house and its inhabitants. Children, maidens and young brides are tied with a twisted white and red woolen thread – Martenitsa – most often on the arm. Young people should definitely go outside “so that Baba Marta can see them and be happy”, and old women should not go outside because “they will anger Baba Marta”.
On this day, snakes and lizards are chased away in many places, fires are lit, and people go around the yard with the clanking of metal objects and nicknames.
Every year before the beginning of March, Bulgarians give each other martenitsi (martenki, bainitsi) — interlaced threads, mostly red and white, but there are also green ones of various shapes — for health and happiness.
On March 1, Bulgarians put martenits on their clothes or wrists and wish each other health and happiness with the words “Happy Baba Marta”.
It is a thousand-year-old Bulgarian tradition that symbolizes the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The origin is Proto-Bulgarian
The first of March is considered to be Martha’s name day. Incorrectly, a name day for the name Martin is often added to this date, as the official holiday according to the Holy Synod is April 14 on the occasion of the celebration of St. Martin.
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