March is special in a way that spring is coming and everyone gets to wear arm candy ,Ha?
Martenici ,made of white and red wool are worn in many forms. The two most seen are the wrist braids ,or Pijo and Penda pinned on a sweater . Pijo and Penda are the yarn doll like boy and girl .That have probably been introduced later in history as part of the tradition ,to illustrate a more fun type of story for the kids. Similar to what H says about the names of Kiki and Lala ,I too have no idea of which one is which .....
As a child it seemed to be some kind of a competition popular among kids ,to gather as much arm candy as possible of Martenici ,then compare with other children and brag about it ...
It seems to me I have seen one and the same behavior when it comes to Arab women when they show off the arm length golden bracelets they own ,of course in a more subtle manner .Another example is when kids at school after the Aid holiday would compare they're relatives generosity and affection by mentioning how much money they have been given during that religious event of .All in all the Aid being not so bad considering the custom of wearing one's best new clothes ,drinking coffee and eating chocolates or date pastry ...sign me in for the chocolate. Since I never seemed to be remotely average when it came to grading my self with classmates, for received affections from uncles and aunts .
Needles to say I have a scares number of relatives in Bulgaria so I don't get much arm candy either ...
Got too of point ,and the post being about March and Martenici...
I was surprised that ,when I completely spaced out on this national tradition ,my foreign colleagues didn't ,they brought martenichki to class ,and everyone could pick their liking ...here is my pick ;
Wearing a stack of martenici on the wrist ! wearing a stack of wool for a whole month !!!
H I have an idea of what you are thinking .As we all know H washes even newly purchased clothing and I understand why ,have you've been to a clothing store where people's stains of makeup ,foundation,bodily odors and what not is on the fabric ???...
When woolen martinici get wet ,for instance after a shower or washing the dishes ,they start to itch a bit .I often see little children after weeks of typical children's activities and playing outside ,without removing the martenici or replacing them ;with a grayish stack of wool on their hands ....Oh well one is not supposed to remove them ... I say this in a "HA HA " way, not in a "March Grinch " way..
The Origin ,is a legend , which is so long I wouldn't want to dwell on . Here is a link instead , to a post on the whole story ...http://martenici.silvipavlova.com/news/55-martenicis-legend
Today a symbol of health and transition to spring ...the most romantic part of it all is that at the first sight of of a returning flock from south or hardly a white stork towards the end of the month ; tying the martenica on a blossoming branch will make the wish you made upon wearing it ,come true....And I say hardly seeing a stork because these creature will rarely be seen in the big city .
As a child I saw one in while roaming the streets of my grandma's village .I loved doing that ,just wandering, talking to the domestic animals on the streets ,giving them names and throwing berries to the donkeys by the road so they can have a taste of something other than grass for a change ...
R
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