It seems the name this practice is best known as is 'Martenitsa', and refers to a mostly Bulgarian practice that is very much alive and kicking. Within the tradition, Martenitsas are gifted to loved ones on the first of March, and then worn until the month ends, or a stork, swallow, or blossoming tree is spotted. At that point, the Martenitsa is hung on a tree as an offering. We all know March is a temperamental month, so it is not odd that this practice in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries serves to appease Baba Marta: 'Grandmother March'. Other names for the modern festival with very antique roots are: Marta, Marti, Martaki, Martitsi, Martogaitano, Martuvane, and many more.
It seems that the traditional Bulgarian martenitza can include coins, cloves of dry garlic, beads, iron rings, hairs of horsetails, snail shells, in addition to the white and red threads. It is considered a talisman, a charm against evil forces. It seems that 'children wear their martenitzas on the right wrist, around the neck or on the breast, while young girls and brides wear it around the neck or woven into their hair. Men, however, tie the martenitza above their left elbow or left ankle. Martenitzas are tied on young animals and all fruit trees'.
Although I can not find any reliable sources that definitively state so, there are those who claim that the practice was also known in ancient Hellas, and there are two versions of this lineage. One is that the ancient Hellenic version of the practice is called 'Martes', or 'Martis' (μάρτης), and was linked to a well-known Hellenic deity: Ares. Ares, it seems, was born in ancient Thrace, now a part of Bulgaria, and the ancient Thracians asked Him for much of the same things as Baba Marta is asked for today.
The second trace of the tradition of Martenitsa to ancient Hellas comes in the form of a 'króki' (κρόκη). It seems that, during the walk from Athens to Eleusis for the (lesser?) Mysteries, the mystai stopped various times, and one of those times, officials known as 'Krokidai' would tie a yellow woolen thread known as the 'króki' around the right hand and left wrist of each of them.
Whatever the case, the tradition is kept alive even in modern day Greece, and if it appeals to you, you might enjoy adopting this practice next year. If anyone has more, or more reliable, information on this practice, I would love to hear about it.
interesting blog there. So this thread was worn in honour of Ares eh. I wonder what they would ask of him?
ReplyDeleteThis.... came as kind of a shock. I have never heard of this custom before. About a year ago now I followed a small prompting in the back of my mind and began wearing a cord of leather around my upper arm (I'm female, but tend to pick up male customs more easily. I have theories for this.) both to honor Ares and to remind myself of His presence in my life. The colors of thread wrapped around the leather core are sacred to me for a variety of reasons, although they are not red or white. The red cord is around my ankle for similar reasons. This is very interesting.
ReplyDelete@UltravioletAngel: Not sure, but still interesting :)
ReplyDelete@ladyimbriumsholocron: That's a wonderful bit of synchronicity right there. Perhaps you were inspired by Ares Himself? It's a beautiful practice, regardless. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteActually, colours of martenitsas differed in different regions of Bulgaria. In some places, threads of more colours were used; in others, only white, typically white wool collected from thorns and branches at pastures. The common denominator was the helical twisting of the thread(s). In modern times, red and white were "fixed", though you can occasionally find more colouful varieties.
ReplyDeleteI have used the martenitsa as a simple model of DNA because both are double helices (e.g. here: http://www.mayamarkov.com/biology/03Organgen1/03Organgen1.htm)
I have heard from our Greek students that they also have this tradition, though I have never seen a Greek actually wearing a martenitsa.