About Martisor

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About Martisor
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Every year the festive day of March 1
brings back to us renewed hopes, confidence,
faith in good fortune and a prosperous life. It
is life, spring and the shining sun which win the
battle against chilly weather, overcast skies and
the nasty days of the Babe (the first 9 days in
March).
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THE LEGEND OF THE MARTISOR
There once lived a poor man who used to
make doll dresses, ribbons, tassels, and sold
them at the market.One day he ran out of fabric
and all he could find at hand was two spools of
yarn one red and the other one white. Now he was
thinking what could be made out of them soon he
came up with an idea. He tore off two strands
from the spools, one red and one white and
braided them in a cord. He was very pleased with
his work and hung a small picture on his new
thread. And he said to himself How shall I call
this ? I know. Martisor because is March and
today is the first day of the month. This will be
a gift that men offer to women. And he made
several models.Soon the word spread about his
invention. And people celebrated March 1 because
they wanted to preserve the memory of the day
when a poor man created the symbol of spring and
regeneration.So, to the present day people
celebrate March 1.
Ana
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This triumph of rebirth and regeneration
could not be better embodied but in the Martisor
( a trinket, March amulet) offered to loved ones
in early spring.The white and red thread of this
amulet (a coin, money cowrie) which parents
customarily tied around their children's wrist,
young men offered to young women, and young women
used to exchange among themselves was believed to
bring good luck, good health, "like pure silver,
like the river stone, like the seashell".
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The Martisor is offered early morning on the
first day of March it used to be worn for 9-12
days, sometimes until the first tree would bloom
when it was hung on a flowering branch to bring
good luck to its bearer.