Baba Marta is a mythical female character in Bulgarian folklore. It is found in Bulgarian proverbs and sayings; her name is associated with the month of March . According to the beliefs, Baba Marta is the kinder younger sister of Big Sechko ( Bulgarian. Golyam Sechko ) and Little Sechko ( Bulgarian. Malak Sechko ), which are the months of January and February, respectively.
Etymology
The name of Baba Marta is associated with the name of the first spring month and is similar to the name of Mara ( Marena ) - the name of the Slavic female character associated with fertility and death, with seasonal dying and resurrection of nature. In some South Slavic March legends, the heroine is simply called a woman [1] .
Customs
On March 1, Bulgaria celebrates the holiday of the same name Baba Marta, individual celebrations continue throughout the month. Many customs and festivities held these days are associated with Baba Marta, the most famous of which is the manufacture on March 1 of red and white threads of small toys called " martenitsa ", which are tied on the hands - on the right of the guys and on the left of the girls, and sometimes on clothing loops. At the sight of the first stork in spring, martenitsa are hung on a flowering bush or tree.
Many rituals of this day among Romanians and Bulgarians are associated with a fear of causing snowfalls, blizzards, frosts, thunderstorms, hail. It was customary for the Bulgarians to carry out various ceremonial actions with fire in order to propitiate the March old woman. Also, on March 1, the inhabitants of Bulgaria hung out pieces of red cloth and red clothes in the courtyard to make Baba Marta happy and the weather to be fine [1] .
Baba Marta and the holiday associated with it is one of the most popular, ancient and revered customs in Bulgaria.
In Bulgarian Wikipedia during the holidays, the image of the martenitsa is placed in the upper left corner on the Wikipedia logo and is displayed on all pages.
See also
- Avdotya Vesnovka
- Baba Dokiya
- Martenitsa
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Golant, 2007 .
Literature
- Golant N.G. March ritual complex of Romanians and Bulgarians in the ethnocultural tradition of the Carpathian-Balkan region // Abstract of dissertation for the degree of candidate of historical sciences. St. Petersburg State University. - SPb. , 2007.
- Golant N.G. March old woman and March thread. Legends and rites of the beginning of March among the Romanians. - SPb. : MAE RAS, 2013.