For countries in the Northern Hemisphere the beginning of spring means the glorious rebirth of the world, as it were. The frosty mantel of winter is giving way to warmth, fruitfulness and bright colourful days. 

That’s when the custom of the Marti bracelet is seen on wrists all over Greece, welcoming Spring with open arms. 

On the 1st of March, it is customary in Greece to exchange ” Marti bracelets” as a symbol of good luck and to welcome the arrival of spring. 

The Greek tradition of Martis, derived from the Greek word for March (Martios) is believed to date back to ancient Greece. 

Let’s go back in time …..

Thousands of years ago in a city named Eleusis, the ancients performed many rituals for all aspects of their life.  

The springtime Eleusinian Mysteries, dedicated to the cult of Demeter Mother Earth, and her daughter  Persephone, involved  tying strings around their feet and hands to ask the goddesses for successful harvests and was considered a good luck charm.The mystic priests tied a string called Kroki on their right hand and on their left foot. 

Fast forward to today …..

According to the tradition, everyone wears red and white bracelets on their left wrist made from thread or string or beads from March 1 until the last day of the month on March 31.

And that tradition still lives on in modern Greece and many Balkan countries such as Bulgaria (Martenitsa), Romania (Mărțișor), North Macedonia (Martinka), Albania (Verore), Moldova (Mărțișor), and Cyprus (Martoui or Martis).

What’s it all about ?

The bracelets symbolise the renewal of life and the transition from  dead-dull winter to  full-of-life spring. The red color represents life, joy and passion while the white symbolises purity and spirituality. 

The combination of these two colours  creates a beautiful contrast that perfectly represents the duality of life – good times and not-so-good  times to give us balance.

In the old days It was believed that the Marti would prevent winter-weary skin from burning in the new springtime sun. 

What is it?

The “Marti” is a small, handmade bracelet made of red and white string or threads woven together and simply tied on with a knot. They are often embellished with beads, good luck or religious charms and an evil eye charm is often added to bring the wearer good luck and to ward off bad vibes. 

When you take the bracelet off…

Tradition says to tie it to a flowering tree. This encourages the tree to bloom and invites birds to come and nest there. It’s a throwback to the ancient times when people would do this to ask Demeter to ensure good harvests. 

What’s it all about ?

The “Martaki” is meant to be worn throughout the month of March until the wearer sees the first signs of spring, such as blooming flowers or chirping birds busy making new nests. 

On the 1st of April, we  are supposed to leave it on a flowering plant or a tree branch so that birds will use it to decorate their nests. 

Not only is it a charming tradition, it’s also a heartwarming gesture that celebrates the start of a new season and spreads happy positive feelings. 

Children make Martaki bracelets in school to give to their pals and loved ones. It’s a fun and colorful way to celebrate the start of a new season and it happens to coincide with the preparation for Easter, the most hopeful season of the year! 

Of course, here  in the Southern Hemisphere it doesn’t carry that much importance because we are not celebrating Spring but we can still enjoy the good positive energy and uplifting spirit that the Marti of March sends out! XXX

( Text and photos: Pepe Sofianos)