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| Martenitsa tied to a branch of a fruit tree, giving the tree health and luck. |
Traditionally on the first day of March Bulgarians exchange and wear ‘Martenitsas’ which are white and red tassels or small dolls called ‘Pizho and Penda’. These are usually worn pinned on the clothes or tied around the wrist until the wearer sees a blossoming tree.
In folklore, Baba Marta (or Grandma March) is a grumpy old lady whose moods change rapidly and that by wearing the red and white colours of the Martenitsa people ask Baba Marta for mercy. The hope is that winter will pass faster and bring spring.
The colours of the Martenitsa are interpreted as symbols of purity and life, as well as the need for harmony in Nature and in people’s lives.
Some people tie their Martenitsa on a branch of a fruit tree, thus giving the tree health and luck, which the person wearing the Martenitsa has enjoyed.
This old pagan tradition remains almost unchanged today.
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