The Bulgarians
The so-called Bulgars are a seminomadic people who during
the 2nd century migrated from Central Asia into the North
Caucasian steppe and in the late 7th century permanently
settled in the Balkans. The group of Bulgarians and the Slavic
tribes which lived there together formed the First Bulgarian
Empire in 681. The indigenous Thracian and Daco-Getic
population, who had lived on the territory of modern Bulgaria
before the Slavic invasion, also participated in the formation
of the Bulgarian ethnos.
Medieval Bulgaria was the most important cultural centre of the
Slavic people at the end of the 9th and throughout the 10th
century. The two literary schools of Preslav and Ohrid developed a
rich literary and cultural activity with authors of the rank of
Constantine of Preslav, John Exarch, Chernorizets Hrabar, Clement
and Naum of Ohrid. In the first half of the 10th century, the
Cyrillic alphabet was devised in the Preslav Literary School based on
the Glagolitic and the Greek alphabets. Modern versions of the
alphabet are now used to write five more Slavic languages such as
Belarusian, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian and Ukrainian as well as
Mongolian and some other 60 languages.
Most Bulgarians are members of the
Bulgarian Orthodox Church founded in 870
AD .The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the
independent national church of Bulgaria like
the other national branches of Eastern
Orthodoxy and is considered an inseparable
element of Bulgarian national consciousness.
Although, most of the Bulgarians are
orthodox Christians, the tradition to
celebrate “Baba Marta” is pagan. It dates
back since the First Bulgarian Kingdom
when Bulgaria was still a pagan country.
The different ethnoses in modern Bulgaria
are the reason why the Bulgarians are so
tolerant and respectful towards the other
traditions and cultures.
The month of March according to the
Bulgarian folklore marks the beginning of
springtime. Therefore, the first day of
March is a traditional holiday associated
with sending off the winter and welcoming
the spring.
On March 1. everyone in Bulgaria says wishes
for health, love and a good harvest.This is the
time when Bulgarians exchange amulets - the
so-called bulgarian "Martenitsa" and tell each
other "Chestita Baba Marta" (Happy Granny
March).
Tradition
On the first of March and the first few
days after, Bulgarians give to one another
white and red tassels or small wool dolls
called "Pizho and Penda", or "Martenitsa".
Additionally, in the Bulgarian folklore the
name Mart is related to a grumpy old lady
whose mood shifts very rapidly. Her name
is Grandma Marta, in Bulgarian — Baba
Marta.
Martenitsa is given to loved ones, friends, and
those people whom one feels close to. They are
worn on clothing, or around the wrist or neck,
until the person wearing it sees a stork or
swallow returning from migration. They then
remove the Martenitsa and hangs it on a
blossoming tree.
The ritual of finally taking off the martenitsa
may be different in the different parts of
Bulgaria. Some people would tie their martenitsa
on a branch of a fruit tree, thus giving this tree
the health and luck, which the person wearing
the martenitsa has enjoyed while having it.
Others would put the martenitsa under a stone
with the idea that the kind of the creature
(usually an insect) closest to the token the next
day will determine the person's health for the
rest of the year.
The martenitsa is also a stylized symbol of Mother
Nature. At that early-spring/late-winter time of the year,
Nature seems full of hopes and expectations. The white
symbolizes the purity of the melting white snow and the
red symbolizes the setting of the sun which becomes
more and more intense as spring progresses. These two
natural resources are prerequisites for life. They are also
associated with the male and female beginnings.
Legend
This is only one of the many legends, and perhaps not even
the best known one, attempting to offer an explanation of
how the tradition of creating and wearing martenitsa
arose.
Khan Kubrat's five sons went hunting accompanied by
their sister Huba. When they reached the River Danube
they saw a silver stag. Mesmerized, the men did not dare
to shoot at it. The stag crossed over to the opposite bank
of the river showing them that there was a ford.
A bird flew to them bringing bad tidings. Their father,
the founder of Old Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. In
his last hours Kubrat wanted to tell his offspring—Bayan,
Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek—not to break the link
between the different Bulgarian tribes. His sons vowed to
defend Bulgaria.
Soon after their father’s death, the Khazars invaded their
lands. The Khazar's Khan Ashina succeeded in conquering
the capital Phanagoria. Huba, Kubrat's daughter, was taken
prisoner by Ashina.
Her brothers kept their vows in different ways. Bayan
stayed with his sister and recognized the supremacy of
the Khazars. Kotrag went north to the River Volga, while
Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to search for a
land without oppressors.
The brothers who left secretly arranged with Huba and
Bayan to send word by a golden thread tied to the leg of a
bird if they were able to find a free land. One day a falcon
sent by Asparukh flew into Huba's room and she and Bayan
quickly made plans to escape. Just as they were looking
for a place to cross the Danube River, Khazar pursuers
spotted them and rushed toward them. Trying to find a
ford, Huba let the falcon free. She tied a white thread to
its leg and handed it to her brother.
Just as the bird was about to take off, an enemy arrow
pierced Bayan and his blood stained the white thread.
While both Bayan and Huba managed to reach the land
Asparukh had found that they were mortally wounded.
Asparukh rushed to meet his dying brother and sister but
could not do anything to save them. After their death he
tore the pieces of white-and-red stained thread and
adorned his soldiers with them.
If the Martenitsa divides the Bulgarian nation from the other
nations, the traditional holiday – Easter brings them closer to the
other countries in Europe.
Easter in Bulgaria (‘Velikden’) is based on the main Christian dogma –
the faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter in Bulgaria is
celebrated three days in a row. Great Friday is a time for spiritual
purifying and is a day in which no one works in Bulgaria. From this
day till the noon of the Saturday of Passion people don’t eat
anything.
On Saturday women cookspecial bulgarian ritual bread. This ritual
bread is of different types. Some are round, elipse-shaped or of
separated pieces in a plait. They are called kozunaci.
The bright red colored egg is the symbol of Easter (or Pascha) for the
Orthodox Christians all over the world. The eggs are colored on Holy
Thursday after the Divine Liturgy. The Easter breads are a worldwide
Orthodox tradition as well. They are big and small and decorated. The
bread is called "kolache" or "kozunak". One of these Easter breads is
specially decorated with one or more (but an odd number) of red eggs
which are incrustated into it. This bread is taken to church on Saturday
evening. Then are the services of Great and Holy Pascha (Velikden).
After the service the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the
people and they take them home. Such breads and eggs are presented to
the parents, and also to other relatives, friends, etc.
There is a ritual of cracking the eggs before the Easter lunch. Each
person selects their egg. Then people take turns tapping their egg
against the eggs of the others, and the person who ends up with the
last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.
The traditional Orthodox Paschal greeting is: "Christ is Risen!" The
answer is: "Indeed He is Risen". This is the greeting during 40 days
after Pascha. Also, these greetings are exchanged during the
tapping of the eggs, mentioned above.
As you can see the Bulgarian Easter traditions are a variant of
Orthodox Easter traditions.
The horo or chain dance (derived from Greek xopos) holds a
central place in the sociocultural activities of rural Bulgaria.
The horo can be danced in a closed or open circle formation, or
in a straight or "crooked" line. The best dancers are usually
located at each end of the line. Both of them guide the group
through exciting patterns while waving a handkerchief in their
free hand.