The legend behind Martenitsa

Khan Kubrat declared himself an independent ruler in 632 CE, denying the power of the Turkut khagan. All Bulgarian tribes living in the region of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea immediately united under him.
So, Kubrat’s five sons went hunting accompanied by their sister Houba. When they reached the Danube River, they saw a silver stag. The stag crossed the river and showed the hunting group a ford. A bird came and brought them bad news. The founder of Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. Kubrat wanted his sons, Bayan, Kotrag, Asparoukh, Kuber and Altsek, to come home in order to maintain some sort of order between the different Bulgarian tribes. The five 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. Khan Ashiba had managed to take Houba, Kubrat’s daughter, prisoner. In order to give her brothers a chance for freedom, she tried to kill herself. She failed however. Her brothers kept their vows: Bayan stayed with Houba and recognised the rule of the Khazars. Kotrag went north, to the River Volga, while Asparoukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to search for a land without oppressors. The brothers secretly arranged with Houba to send her a message, whenever they were able to find free land.
Then Asparoukh sent word, attached with a golden thread to a falcon’s leg. Bayan and Houba decided to escape, but they were spotted. Houba had tied a white tread to the falcon’s leg. She wanted to set the bird free. Then, just when the falcon was about to take off, an enemy shot Bayan and blood stained the white thread. Nevertheless, brother and sister managed to reach Asparoukh’s newfound land. Asparoukh welcomed his dying brother and his sister and tore pieces of white-and-red thread and adorned his soldiers with them.

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.