I don’t know if the custom is "exclusively Romanian", because in my travels and connections with different cultures I found similarities to this custom and symbolism that have the same extent…
But, what does Martisor mean for those of you that don’t know?
The Martisor celebration starts on the first of March and ends at the end of the month, sometimes even longer. Martisor – the name is a diminutive meaning Little Mars from Martie – the name of the month in Romanian. The actual object is like a talisman shaped as a flower, an animal, a heart, a coin that is tied by an interlaced red and white string. Mostly men or children they offer this talisman as a gift to the ladies in their lives ... not only to the relatives: wives or mothers, sisters, daughters or grand- mothers but also co-workers, neighbours, friends etc. In some parts of Romania also the young men or children (females or males) receive the Martisor as a gift. The Martisor is the symbol of love, innocence, friendship and purity – the symbol of spring its self. The white and red string is for luck and for banishing the evil spirits in ones life. And it’s said it will bring health and beauty all year long. The Martisor can be worn at the wrist, around the neck or as a brooch tied to clothes.
When did this tradition start? Long, long time ago say the archaeologists who have found evidence even at the Dacian people, the Romanian ancestors. There are different legends related to the string – the mixture of the warm upcoming beauty and the cold going winter, a duel between two beautiful princesses – the Winter and the Spring, between an old lady and a young one, between the wisdom of a man (cold and pure) and the fertility of a woman (warm and alive). Even if the Martisor tradition can be found mostly in Romania, it has spread also in some South – Eastern European countries.
I associate this type of string with other cultures customs such as Chinese or Hindu – who have similar strings to keep away the evil spirits and bring good luck. The Hindu string is also worn at the wrists and mostly by the women.
In one Romanian tradition on the first day of March a man ties a Martisor to an unmarried woman wrist and then at the end of the month he must also untie it. The customs evolves around the wish of a happy marriage for the young woman. In another tradition if the Martisor is a gold or silver coin at the end of the celebration the coin is put in water and then the woman washes her face in that water to stay beautiful and shiny all year long.
At the end of the celebration the Martisor string is attached to a blossoming tree, also to maintain the luck and happiness all year long. In some custom the string is attached to any tree and a wish is made. If the tree will blossoms beautifully your wish will come true.
Luck, happiness or innocence – the tradition has its own beauty in celebrating the coming spring. So, I introduce you all to this tradition hopping that you will enjoy it and maybe adopt it as a way to celebrate Spring.
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But, what does Martisor mean for those of you that don’t know?The Martisor celebration starts on the first of March and ends at the end of the month, sometimes even longer. Martisor – the name is a diminutive meaning Little Mars from Martie – the name of the month in Romanian. The actual object is like a talisman shaped as a flower, an animal, a heart, a coin that is tied by an interlaced red and white string. Mostly men or children they offer this talisman as a gift to the ladies in their lives ... not only to the relatives: wives or mothers, sisters, daughters or grand- mothers but also co-workers, neighbours, friends etc. In some parts of Romania also the young men or children (females or males) receive the Martisor as a gift. The Martisor is the symbol of love, innocence, friendship and purity – the symbol of spring its self. The white and red string is for luck and for banishing the evil spirits in ones life. And it’s said it will bring health and beauty all year long. The Martisor can be worn at the wrist, around the neck or as a brooch tied to clothes.
When did this tradition start? Long, long time ago say the archaeologists who have found evidence even at the Dacian people, the Romanian ancestors. There are different legends related to the string – the mixture of the warm upcoming beauty and the cold going winter, a duel between two beautiful princesses – the Winter and the Spring, between an old lady and a young one, between the wisdom of a man (cold and pure) and the fertility of a woman (warm and alive). Even if the Martisor tradition can be found mostly in Romania, it has spread also in some South – Eastern European countries.
I associate this type of string with other cultures customs such as Chinese or Hindu – who have similar strings to keep away the evil spirits and bring good luck. The Hindu string is also worn at the wrists and mostly by the women.
In one Romanian tradition on the first day of March a man ties a Martisor to an unmarried woman wrist and then at the end of the month he must also untie it. The customs evolves around the wish of a happy marriage for the young woman. In another tradition if the Martisor is a gold or silver coin at the end of the celebration the coin is put in water and then the woman washes her face in that water to stay beautiful and shiny all year long.At the end of the celebration the Martisor string is attached to a blossoming tree, also to maintain the luck and happiness all year long. In some custom the string is attached to any tree and a wish is made. If the tree will blossoms beautifully your wish will come true.
Luck, happiness or innocence – the tradition has its own beauty in celebrating the coming spring. So, I introduce you all to this tradition hopping that you will enjoy it and maybe adopt it as a way to celebrate Spring.
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