“I wish you a happy Baba Marta Day, Ambassador,” a local colleague in Bulgaria said while presenting me with a charming gift: two wool dolls, one dressed in white and the other in a red skirt.
“What is this?” I asked, surprised.
“The white one is a male named Pizho, and the red one in the skirt is a female named Penda. You can wear them on your coat for good health and happiness.”
Curious to learn more, I asked her about this Bulgarian tradition known as Baba Marta.
Every year on the 1st of March, Bulgarians celebrate Baba Marta (where “baba” means “Grandma” and “Marta” means “March”), a centuries-old tradition marking the end of winter and the welcoming of spring.
The two dolls or the twisted strings are called “Martenitsas.” White symbolises purity, innocence, health, happiness, and protection against evil spirits, while red signifies vitality, vigour, fertility, and bravery. Martenitsas can be made of wool, silk, or cotton and may be worn as bracelets or pinned to one’s clothing. According to tradition, people do not buy Martenitsas for themselves; they give them as gifts to friends, family, and colleagues.
People wear Martenitsas for a certain period, usually until the first signs of spring are observed, such as spotting a stork. Once those signs appear, they can tie the Martenitsas to a tree branch, symbolising a new beginning.
According to Bulgarian legend, Baba Marta is believed to be a grumpy old lady whose moods change rapidly, reflecting the unpredictable weather in March. Sometimes, it is cold, snowy, sunny, or cloudy, much like her temperament. By wearing the red and white colours of the Martenitsa, Bulgarians ask Baba Marta for mercy, hoping for an early end to winter and the arrival of warm weather.
The folklore surrounding Baba Marta is also present in southeastern Serbia, where many ethnic Bulgarians live. Similar customs can be found in Romania and Moldova.
Various versions of the Baba Marta story exist in European folklore. One version suggests that on this day, the grumpy grandma does her pre-spring cleaning, shaking her mattress for the last time. The feathers that come out of it fall to the ground like snow, the last snowfall of the year.
Celebrating Baba Marta symbolises the Bulgarian people’s deep-rooted connection to their centuries-old traditions and culture.
