Many Bulgarian customs and traditions go back to pagan times whilst others have their roots in Christianity. The most important custom and the one that is very noticeable has to be 'Baba Marta‘.

On the 1st of March we put martenitsa on our hands for health. Martenitsa is a little decoration which is made from wool or cotton tassels in two colours – red and white. Everybody says: Честита баба Марта! which means Happy Grandma Marta! This custom is a very famous Bulgarian tradition. "Baba" (баба) is the Bulgarian word for "grandmother" and Mart (март) is the Bulgarian word for the month of March.

Long time ago in Bulgaria, martenitsa was bound on the hand only of the women and children. But after the middle of the last century the men started to carry one too. Bulgarian people in some Balkan areas /in Albania and Republic of Macedonia / also carry martenitsas on 1st March.

The colours of the martenitsa have strict meaning: red – blood and life; white – purity and happiness. The tradition is the oldest woman in the family to put the martenitsa on the children for health and luck.

Martenitsa needs to be carried until the coming of the spring. After this it has to be put under a stone. If a month later under the stone you see ants, that means the year will be happy and fertile. Some people tie it on a blossoming tree making a wish.

In some cities in Bulgaria people put martenitsa on their animals. Sometimes martenitsa is thrown in the water so the year goes luckily. The tradition also tells that when somebody gives you a martenitsa as a present, you will be luckier and happier. Because of this everybody gives martenitsa to their friends and relatives. In the Rodophi mountains martenitsa has (consists of) some more colours.

One of the legends for the background of the martenitsa tells that when Khan Asparuh (Bulgarian khan ) defeated Byzantine soildiers, he wrote letter about his victory. After that he tied it with a white rope to the leg of a bird. While flying the bird was noticed by the Byzantine soldiers. They shooted at the bird and hurt it. Although she was injured she arrived successfully in the Bulgarian camp. But some parts of the white rope were red from the blood. That’s why the martenitsa have two colours.

Types of Martenitsa:

The presentation was made by: ILIYANA PANAYOTOVA “ Vasil Levski” Secondary School - Haskovo