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Martenitsa
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Martenitsa
A Martenitsa (Bulgarian: мартеница, pronounced [ˈmartɛnit͡sa]; Macedonian: мартинка, romanized: martinka; Greek: μάρτης, romanized: mártis [ˈmaɾ.tis]; Romanian: mărțișor [mər.t͡siˈʃor] ⓘ; Albanian: verore; Turkish: marteniçka [marteˈnit͡ʃka]) is a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn and usually in the form of two dolls, a white male and a red female. Martenitsi are worn from Baba Marta Day (March 1) until the wearer first sees a stork, swallow, or blossoming tree (or until the end of March (April 1)). The name of the holiday means "Grandma March" in Bulgarian and Macedonian, the holiday and the wearing of Martenitsi are a Bulgarian and Macedonian tradition related to welcoming the spring, which according to Bulgarian and Macedonian folklore begins in March.
In Albania, it is worn on the March 14 (the old first day of March in the Julian calendar) to celebrate the Summer Fest (Dita e Verës). In Albania, the Summer Fest is dedicated to the ancient Goddess Diana.
It is inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
A typical Martenitsa consists of two small wool dolls, Pizho and Penda (Bulgarian: Пижо и Пенда). Pizho, the male doll, is usually predominantly white; Penda, the female doll, is distinguished by her skirt and is usually predominantly red.[citation needed]
The red and white woven threads symbolize the wish for good health. They are the heralds of the coming of spring and of new life. While white as a color symbolizes purity, red is a symbol of life and passion, and so some ethnologists have proposed that, in its very origins, the custom might have reminded people of the constant cycle of life and death, the balance of good and evil, and the sorrow and happiness in human life. The Martenitsa is also a stylized symbol of Mother Nature, the white symbolizing the purity of the melting white snow and the red setting of the sun, which becomes more and more intense as spring progresses. These two natural resources are the source of life. They are also associated with the male and female beginnings, and in their balance, with the need for balance in life.[citation needed]
Tradition dictates that Martenitsi are always given as gifts, not bought for oneself. They are given to loved ones, friends, and those people to whom one feels close.[citation needed] Beginning on the first of March, one or more are worn pinned to clothing, or around the wrist or neck, until the wearer sees a stork or swallow returning from migration, or a blossoming tree, and then removes the Martenitsa.[citation needed]
In Bulgarian folklore and Macedonian Slavic mythology the name Baba Marta (Bulgarian: Баба Марта, "Grandma March") evokes a grumpy old lady whose mood swings very rapidly. The common belief is that by wearing the red and white colors of the Martenitsa, people ask Baba Marta for mercy. They hope that it will make winter pass faster and bring spring.[citation needed] The first returning stork or swallow is taken as a harbinger of spring and as evidence that Baba Marta is in a good mood and is about to retire.[citation needed]
The ritual of finally taking off the Martenitsa is different in different parts of Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Some people tie the Martenitsa on a branch of a fruit tree, thus giving the tree health and luck, which the person wearing the Martenitsa has enjoyed themselves while wearing it. Others put it under a stone with the idea that the kind of creature (usually an insect) closest to the token the next day will determine the person's health for the rest of the year. If the creature is a larva or a worm, the coming year will be healthy and full of success. The same luck is associated with an ant, the difference being that the person will have to work hard to reach success. If the creature nearest the token is a spider, then the person is in trouble and may not enjoy luck, health, or personal success.[citation needed]
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Martenitsa
A Martenitsa (Bulgarian: мартеница, pronounced [ˈmartɛnit͡sa]; Macedonian: мартинка, romanized: martinka; Greek: μάρτης, romanized: mártis [ˈmaɾ.tis]; Romanian: mărțișor [mər.t͡siˈʃor] ⓘ; Albanian: verore; Turkish: marteniçka [marteˈnit͡ʃka]) is a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn and usually in the form of two dolls, a white male and a red female. Martenitsi are worn from Baba Marta Day (March 1) until the wearer first sees a stork, swallow, or blossoming tree (or until the end of March (April 1)). The name of the holiday means "Grandma March" in Bulgarian and Macedonian, the holiday and the wearing of Martenitsi are a Bulgarian and Macedonian tradition related to welcoming the spring, which according to Bulgarian and Macedonian folklore begins in March.
In Albania, it is worn on the March 14 (the old first day of March in the Julian calendar) to celebrate the Summer Fest (Dita e Verës). In Albania, the Summer Fest is dedicated to the ancient Goddess Diana.
It is inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
A typical Martenitsa consists of two small wool dolls, Pizho and Penda (Bulgarian: Пижо и Пенда). Pizho, the male doll, is usually predominantly white; Penda, the female doll, is distinguished by her skirt and is usually predominantly red.[citation needed]
The red and white woven threads symbolize the wish for good health. They are the heralds of the coming of spring and of new life. While white as a color symbolizes purity, red is a symbol of life and passion, and so some ethnologists have proposed that, in its very origins, the custom might have reminded people of the constant cycle of life and death, the balance of good and evil, and the sorrow and happiness in human life. The Martenitsa is also a stylized symbol of Mother Nature, the white symbolizing the purity of the melting white snow and the red setting of the sun, which becomes more and more intense as spring progresses. These two natural resources are the source of life. They are also associated with the male and female beginnings, and in their balance, with the need for balance in life.[citation needed]
Tradition dictates that Martenitsi are always given as gifts, not bought for oneself. They are given to loved ones, friends, and those people to whom one feels close.[citation needed] Beginning on the first of March, one or more are worn pinned to clothing, or around the wrist or neck, until the wearer sees a stork or swallow returning from migration, or a blossoming tree, and then removes the Martenitsa.[citation needed]
In Bulgarian folklore and Macedonian Slavic mythology the name Baba Marta (Bulgarian: Баба Марта, "Grandma March") evokes a grumpy old lady whose mood swings very rapidly. The common belief is that by wearing the red and white colors of the Martenitsa, people ask Baba Marta for mercy. They hope that it will make winter pass faster and bring spring.[citation needed] The first returning stork or swallow is taken as a harbinger of spring and as evidence that Baba Marta is in a good mood and is about to retire.[citation needed]
The ritual of finally taking off the Martenitsa is different in different parts of Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Some people tie the Martenitsa on a branch of a fruit tree, thus giving the tree health and luck, which the person wearing the Martenitsa has enjoyed themselves while wearing it. Others put it under a stone with the idea that the kind of creature (usually an insect) closest to the token the next day will determine the person's health for the rest of the year. If the creature is a larva or a worm, the coming year will be healthy and full of success. The same luck is associated with an ant, the difference being that the person will have to work hard to reach success. If the creature nearest the token is a spider, then the person is in trouble and may not enjoy luck, health, or personal success.[citation needed]
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