Martisor (pronounciation martsishor) is an old Romanian celebration at the beginning of spring, on March the 1st. Symbolically, it is correlated to women and to fertility as a means of life and continuity. The tradition is authentic in
Romania, Moldova, and all territories inhabited by Romanians. Alike though not identical customs can be found in Bulgaria (see Martenitsa), while similar ones exist in Albania, Greece [and Italy.
The name Martisor is the diminutive of mart, the old
folk name for March (Martie, in modern Romanian), and thus
literally means "little March". It is also the folk name for this
month.
Martisor, mart and martigus are all names for
the red and white string from which a small decoration is tied, and which is
offered by people on the 1st day of March. Giving this talisman to people is an old custom,
and it is believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be
strong and healthy for the year to come. It is also a symbol of the coming
spring. Usually, women wear it pinned to their clothes for the first 12 days of
the month, until other spring celebrations, or until the bloom of certain
fruit-trees. In some regions, a gold or silver coin hangs on the string, which
is worn around the neck. After wearing it for a certain period of time, they buy
red wine and sweet cheese with the coin, according to a belief that their faces
would remain beautiful and white as cheese, and rubicund as the red wine, for
the entire year.
In modern times, and especially in urban areas, the Martisor lost
most of its talisman properties and became more of a symbol of friendship or
love, appreciation and respect.
Martisor is like Valentine's Day here, in the US, in some respect. I
am so happy when my old colleagues from the University of Bucuresti still send
me one Martisor every year on March 1st !!!
Friendship is forever for some of us...although an ocean and an
entire continent separate us...
