Traditional martsishors made by employees of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History were tied to the hands of passersby in the central park of Chisinau on the first day of spring. The people were impressed by such a gesture as many of them didn’t have a martsishor, IPN reports.

Surprised by the museographers’ gesture, Elena Delinski said the idea of tying martsishors to hands is extraordinary as this way the amulets are closer to the pulse. It was the first martsishor she received today as a present. Passerby Valentin Roșca wears martsishors occasionally. Even so, he believes this is a veritable national symbol of spring that deserves to be perpetuated. For Efimia Smisarchuk, the martsishor tied to her hand by employees of the Museum was the third she was given this morning. The woman said the two colors of the amulet, red and white, bring warmth to the soul.

National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History director Petru Vicol said the martsishor is an important element of our national culture. In December 2017, it was included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. “This makes us be even more resolute in prompting this nice tradition that is over 2,000 years old in the Romanian area and not only,” he stated, noting the Museum’s employees will make effort to transform this event into a tradition so as to promote the nice symbol of spring in the public sphere.

Today, March 1, the museographers will also visit schools where they will stage martsishor making workshops for students. In the course of March, thy will hold workshops at the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History for children and all those who want to learn more about the art of making the spring amulet.