Starting new
This story was published on February 28th 2019. It was written by Afroditi and Co-created by Anyela, Bouna, Jordan, Kate, Kathrin, Leyla, Meerim, Molly, Thu (2018–2020 Cohort)
With March and thereby (finally!) spring arriving in the northern hemisphere, many things start growing and blooming. This blog hopes to be one of those things — we are happy to finally launch it with this post about a beautiful ritual to start into a beautiful time of the year!
On the 28th of Februrary, after an intense class in the morning, we came together for a small collective activity that originates from the Balkan.
Can you guess what we did from the pictures? Hover with your cursor over them for some further discoveries!
Change defines our life as Erasmus Mundus students. Six months ago, commencing from our separate localities and diverse situations, we assembled in Glasgow, and then after five months we should venture to our second destination, Malta: unaccustomed landscapes, diverse values, new people or freshly acquired roles are some of the challenges, which are constantly surrounding us. In the midst of these changes and challenges, we find some time to pause, observe, reflect and most importantly share and enjoy our diverse experiences and perspectives.
On the occasion of the annual transition from winter to spring we looked for comfort and inspiration in transitional folk rituals of Balkans. Variations of the custom are found in different countries belonging in the Balkan Peninsula, such as Bulgaria (мартеница), Romania (mărțișor), Greece (Μάρτης), North Macedonia (мартинка), Albania (verorja) etc. According to the custom on the last day of February bracelets from white and red thread are braided; on the first of March the bracelets are offered as gift to friends and family.
Following principles and tools of devising theatre and educational drama, we improvised on themes of transition. Hosted in the cosy open-air theatre in the campus of the University of Malta, we explored our orchestra (the circular area of a theatre) and warmed-up by rushing to avoid the wintery rain and enjoying relaxed the spring-time sun. To evoke and underpin our inspiration we used as tools some daily newspapers: each one chose a distinctly interesting or challenging word; a warm-up of voice followed from whispers to shouts that reached the nearby pine trees tops and perhaps surprised the nearby sited or passing by members of the wider academic community. Afterwards, one step closer to the bracelet making, each of us picked a red or white thread according to personal taste; then, working still individually we experimented giving shapes to our threads.
The next stage was calling for work in pairs. We paired with one person that had an opposite coloured thread. Our task this time was to twist the threads into a rope, and thus create two bracelets. Simultaneously, we crafted narrative tales binding together the previously chosen word and the concept from the shape of our thread. We shared our story with our partners and gifted them the bracelet, which embodied all our care and reciprocity, as well as our hope for overcoming challenges through the combination of diverse elements within us and among us.
With a ‘Martis’ around our wrists we finally formed a big circle to share each others’ stories, impressions and thoughts. The chosen words were raising concepts of win-win relationships and energy or expressing struggles with dismissal, exploitation, demand for productivity and tension. Shapes were illustrating the Maltese landscape with its hills and sea, animals of water, a house, abstract shapes, or just the random shapes the windy weather was giving to the materials. Combined our stories were about a student experiencing an academic crisis but exploring different prospects for them, an ugly duckling feeling the tension to fit in with the rest of the group, energy taking different forms, the necessity to be productive combined with current circumstances defining one’s actions, a jellyfish finding ways to survive the exploitation of the sea, the promise of one to return home, the recursive force of past experiences and future possibilities intertwined within us.
Afterwards, we discussed the possible symbolic meanings of the colours of the threads and we realised that in many of our traditions there are similar meanings and patterns. For instance, white is related with snow, winter, but also it is the traditional mourning colour in East and South East countries, thus related with death and loss. On the other hand, red is often related with fire, the sun, fertility or action, war or life. The necessity of combination and balance among the different elements is suggested as a method to overcome challenges and change, as it is illustrated by the intertwining of the threads, as well as by the stories.
Finally, passing through time, changing space, familiarising ourselves with the new circumstances, appreciating and listening one another we realised our challenges and dreams. During this first month of spring we are committing afresh towards our personal and collective aims. Our next date is in thirty days from now, and it is an appointment between us and the awakening nature. Let’s stay tuned!
Conceived by Afroditi
Co-created by Anyela, Bouna, Jordan, Kate, Kathrin, Leyla, Meerim, Molly, Thu
