English - Convention on Biological Diversity

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COUNTRY STUDY FOR BIODIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
4.7.3.2. The plant world
Living in a natural environment, many rituals relating to the plant world, especially
to certain trees, were developed. These rituals held an important place in religion,
celebrating the revival of nature and its cyclic repetition. To some, trees represented a
theophany, an image of the cosmos, a symbol of life or the centre of the world. The most
frequent trees mentioned in folklore are the Oak, the Hazelnut, the Linden and
sometimes the Pear. Sweet basil is also referenced because it was considered to be God’s
flower. In national tradition, the Maple is linked with ancestors and the cult of the dead.
Because of this, churches are often built under these trees, believing that the boughs
contain some beneficial properties.
Christianity modified the tree cult to a great extent, but did not destroy it. In national
tradition, many different images, from animistic to Christian, are linked with various
species of trees.
According to the beliefs of animism, any contact with a tree was considered to be
contact with the anima (soul) which took up residence in it. For example, a tree with a
specific size or shape might be the dwelling place of a soul or spirit. Such trees were
therefore made taboo. Cutting a certain tree or bough meant that a spiritual force was
injured and would seek revenge. It was also believed that various supernatural beings,
for example, fairies etc., gathered around the larger trees.
The ban placed on cutting trees also included trees growing in cemeteries, which had
the same function as a tombstone, that is, to bind the soul of the deceased person and
protect the living. Muslems planted a Plum tree on the grave of a young girl because
some considered the Plum tree to be a match for the wedding tree.
The belief in the Yule-tree, which was most often an Oak, was especially
widespread, and was observed by collecting Yule-logs at the beginning of the calendar
year and burning them on Christmas Eve. It was believed that this tree held a demon of
the vegetation and, by burning it, one expected protection of the house and the people
living in it, and happiness and fertility in the new year. Another tradition involved
making a sacrifice to the tree whose branch was chopped for the wedding flag. Before
the wedding of her son, a mother would address the tree and invite it to the wedding; the
next day a chicken would be slaughtered near its roots. The Walnut tree symbolises a
secret which is hidden, as is the kernel in its nutshell. It also represents fortune telling,
fertility, strength and patience. During weddings, Walnuts were thrown when the bride
entered into the new house. In Christianity, the Walnut is symbolic of man: the green
husk is the human body, the hard shell – bones, and the kernel – the soul.
In other traditions, the Hazelnut tree symbolises fertility and love, the Dogwood,
durability, strength and health and, at Gyurgyovden (a religious holiday), the doors were
decorated with boughs of Acacia. On St. Triphon’s Day (in February), vines are pruned.
St. Triphon was thought to have started this custom, believing that it would make the
coming year fertile. In some regions, this custom is still observed with great feasting and
with numerous visitors.
The basic objective of the customs related to plants was the provision of good health
for family members, the house and livestock. On Letnik Day (a religious holiday), the
entire house was decorated with various types of vegetation in order to transfer the
magic power from the plants to the people. There was also a custom where people hit
each other with green boughs in order to win the power of the greenery for themselves.