You will see it in March, made by twisted white and red threads, usually with a couple of tassels at its end. It is worn on your hand or lapel, around the neck as a necklace or even entangled in the hair of young girls. This is the Martenitsa, which all Bulgarians wear on March 1st to chase away the winter, along with illnesses, dark cold days and evil forces. Bulgarian people greet one another on this day with the coming of spring and offer a Martenitsa as a gift to their families and friends, wishing them health, happiness and a long life. The white color is a symbol of purity, but also of masculinity, while the red one symbolizes the vital energy and life, as well as femininity and fertility. Our forefathers used the Martenitsa in more ancient times as an amulet that would protect them from bad luck and curses. Other people thought that the Martenitsa stimulated the fertility. That is why it is still entangled in wedding bouquets in some regions in Bulgaria. The Martenitsa is usually worn till the arriving of the first storks or swallows. However, city people put their Martenitsa on the first blossomed tree they see.
The Martenitsas appeared an the market, bus stations and different shops from the beginning of February, in order to reach the most distant parts of the planet. People rush to send them to their relatives and friends outside Bulgaria. “The real Martenitsa has to have something white and something red” – Mrs. Irina Nikolova says. She has been selling beautiful handmade Martenitsas for eight years now.
“The Martenitsa is not an item meant for mass production, it is made with love – Irina explains. – Each of them is made separately, bringing health and good luck. My mother creates the models; they are not simply bought from the exchange. She is retired and prepares Martenitsas through the whole year. That is why all of them are different on the stand. My mother talks to them, when she makes them. She asks them: “Where will you go now? In Varna or in America?” The Martenitsas fly all over the world. I even have one sent to Antarctica. When customers buy Martenitsas, I always ask them where they will send them. That was how I understood that one of my Martenitsas would fly all the way to Antarctica. People from all continents know about our Martenitsas.”
A customer praises Irina’s Martenitsas: “They all have been created with good taste and you will find no other place in Sofia that sells that kind of Martenitsas. I have been visiting this place for three years now.”
The foreigners also wear the traditional Bulgarian symbol of spring. “They ask less questions and simply buy them” – Mrs. Nikolova says. “I have a daughter that lives abroad and works in a law firm – she says. – I send to her Martenitsas every year as a gift to her colleagues. Last year for instance she gave Martenitsas to all, but missed her colleague from Portugal. The girl was mad for three days and finally asked my daughter: “What was that thing you gave to everyone else but me?” I saw Prince Charles with a Martenitsa on the cover of a magazine not so long ago – Irina continues. – They asked him in the interview why he wore it on his hand and he answered: “I can’t take it away, because I haven’t seen a stork yet.” I was visiting my daughter in England last year and I saw there a whole tree, wearing Martenitsas. This happened in April. Apparently many Bulgarians had passed by that tree, or those people, who had worn the Martenitsas had known what to do with them.”
English version: Zhivko Stanchev
