The Greek Red and White March Bracelet – Martis
March Bracelet made by Didadi Photo Nefeli Maggalousi
March means spring is just around the corner, bringing with it, this marvelous Greek tradition, one of my favourite Greek customs, the wearing of the “March bracelet”, called the martis, or martenitsa, after the month of March, the beginning of spring, a tradition with its roots in ancient Greece and the Balkans.
Red & white Greek March bracelet – Martis
Historians claim the tradition goes back to ancient Greek and Roman times, when priests would wrap a red thread, a “Kroki”, around the right hand and foot, to ward off evil spirits and protect against witchcraft.
Others say the ancient tradition of Martis goes way back, to the time of the ancients, to the cults of Demeter and Persephone, when ancient rites were carried out at the ancient sanctuary of Eleusis, connected with the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Followers wore a red and white bracelet called a “kroki”, around both their right hand and left ankle.
Traditionally, in Greece, March is considered the first month of spring, and, hopefully, will bring lots of sunshine, nice, hot sunshine!
Almond blossom
To protect themselves from being burnt by the hot, Greek sun, people, especially children, wear the “March Bracelet”, from March 1 until the last day of the month on March 31, because, in times gone by, dark skin was thought to be a sign of impurity, and true beauty meant pale skin and rosy cheeks.
Red and white yarn is woven together, (The white symbolizing purity, and, the red, life and passion) to create a small bracelet, which is worn, from the first of March.
Martis, Greek March bracelet
In Bulgaria, the martenitsa are a couple of sweet, woolen dolls, the male, “pizho”, made of mostly white wool, and the female, “penda”, with a red skirt.
Martenitsa from Bulgaria
The March bracelet must be woven on the last day of February and be worn until it drops off naturally, through wear and tear, or, until you see the first stork or swallow, returning from migration, or, the first blossoming tree, all heralding, the arrival of spring.
Once one of these harbingers of spring has been spotted, the bracelet is removed and hung on a fruit tree, in order to keep the tree healthy, lucky, and to make sure of a good harvest of fruit.
March bracelets hanging from a fruit tree.
Nowadays, for extra protection, the “Evil Eye” is being incorporated into these quaint bracelets, another Greek custom protecting against evil.
Greek red & white March bracelets, incorporating the evil eye, for extra protection.
March is just around the corner so I’ll hedge my bets and find myself a “March Bracelet”.
The tradition is that these bracelets should be given as presents; apparently they work better this way!
March Bracelets made by Didadi – Photo Nefeli Maggalousi
Keep your friends safe from sunburn, evil, and even witchcraft, buy them one of these little bracelets, from my friend, a talented local girl: Dida Di
