Mari are a Finno-Ugric people who believe in spirits. Many are interested in what religion the Mari belong to, but in reality they cannot be defined as Christianity or the Muslim faith, because they have their own ideas about God. This people believes in spirits, the trees are sacred to them, and Ovda replaces the devil. Their religion implies that our world originated on another planet, where a duck laid two eggs. Good and evil brothers hatched from them. It was they who created life on Earth. The Mari hold unique rites, respect the gods of nature, and their faith is one of the most unchanged since ancient times.
History of the Mari people
According to legend, the history of this people began on another planet. A duck flew to Earth, living in the constellation Nests, and laid several eggs. So this people appeared, judging by their beliefs. It is worth noting that to this day they do not recognize the universal names of the constellations, naming the stars in their own way. According to legend, a bird flew from the constellation Pleiades, and, for example, they called Ursa Major the Elk.
Sacred groves
Kusoto is the sacred groves that the Mari venerate. Religion implies that people should, on nation-wide prayers, bring a flare to the groves. These are sacrificial birds, geese or ducks. To conduct this ceremony, each family must choose the most beautiful and healthy bird, because the Mari priest will check it for suitability for the ceremony. If the bird is suitable, then they ask for forgiveness, after which they carry out lighting using smoke. In this way, people express their respect for the spirit of fire, which cleanses space from negativity.
It is in the forest that all Mari pray. The religion of this people is built on unity with nature, so they believe that by touching the trees and making sacrifices, they create a direct connection with God. The groves themselves did not plant specially; they have been there for a long time. According to legend, even the ancient ancestors of this people chose them for prayers, based on how the sun, comets and stars are located. All groves are usually divided into tribal, rural and universal. Moreover, in some you can pray several times a year, and in others - only once in seven years. There is great energy in Kusoto, according to the Mari. Religion forbids them to swear, make noise or sing while in the forest, because by their faith nature is the embodiment of God on Earth.
Fight for kusoto
For many centuries, they tried to cut down the groves, and the Mari people for many years defended the right to preserve the forest. At first, Christians wanted to destroy them by imposing their faith, then the Soviet regime tried to deprive the Mari of sacred places. To save forests, the Mari people had to formally adopt the Orthodox faith. They attended church, defended the service, and secretly went to the forest to worship their gods. This has led many Christian customs to become part of the Mari faith.
Legends of Ovda
According to legend, once upon a time there lived a obstinate Mary on Earth, and once she angered the gods. For this, she was turned into Ovda - a terrible creature with large breasts, black hair and twisted legs. People avoided her, as she often damaged, cursing entire villages. Although she could help too. In the old days, she was often seen: she lives in caves, on the outskirts of the forest. The Mari still think so. The religion of this people is built on natural forces, and it is believed that Ovda is the original carrier of divine energy, capable of bringing both good and evil.
There are interesting megaliths in the forest, very similar to blocks of man-made origin. According to legend, it was Ovda who built a defense around her caves so that people would not bother her. Science suggests that the ancient Mari with their help defended themselves from enemies, but they could not process and install stones on their own. Therefore, this area is very attractive to psychics and magicians, because it is believed that this place is a powerful force. Sometimes all the people living nearby visit it. Despite how close the Mordovians, Mari and Udmurts live , their religion is different, and they cannot be assigned to the same group. Many legends are similar, but nothing more.
Mari Bagpipe - Shuvyr
Shuvyr is considered the true magic tool of the Mari. This unique bagpipe is made from a cow bladder. First, it is prepared for two weeks with porridge and salt, and only then, when the bubble goes limp, is a tube and horn attached to it. Mari believe that each element of the instrument is endowed with special power. The musician using it can understand what the birds are singing and the animals are talking about. Listening to the game on this folk instrument, people fall into a trance. Sometimes with the help of a shuvir people are healed. The Mari believe that the music of this bagpipe is the key to the gates of the spirit world.
Veneration of deceased ancestors
Mari do not go to cemeteries, they call the dead to visit every Thursday. Previously, Mari’s graves were not marked with signs, but now they simply install wooden decks where they write the names of the deceased. The Mari religion in Russia is very similar to the Christian one in that souls live well in heaven, but the living believe that their deceased relatives are very homesick. And if the living will not remember their ancestors, then their souls will become evil and begin to harm people.
Each family sets up a separate table for the dead and sets it as for the living. Everything that is cooked on the table should also stand for invisible guests. After dinner, all treats are given to pets. This ritual is also an ancestral petition for help, the whole family at the table discusses problems and asks for help to find a solution. After a meal, a bath is heated for the dead, and only after a while the owners themselves go there. It is believed that you can’t sleep until all the villagers have escorted their guests.
Mari Bear - Mask
There is a legend that in ancient times a hunter named Mask angered the god Yumo with his behavior. He did not listen to the advice of his elders, he killed animals for fun, and he himself was distinguished by cunning and cruelty. For this, God punished him, turning him into a bear. The hunter repented and asked for mercy, but Yumo ordered him to keep order in the forest. And if he does it regularly, then in the next life he will become a man.
Beekeeping
The religion of the ancient Mari pays special attention to bees. According to long-standing legends, it is believed that these insects were the last to come to Earth, having flown here from another Galaxy. Marie’s laws imply that each card must have its own apiary, where it will receive propolis, honey, wax and bee bread.
Signs with bread
Every year, the Mari grind some flour by hand to prepare the first loaf. During its preparation, the hostess should whisper good wishes for everyone whom she plans to treat to the dough. Considering what religion the Mari have, it is worth paying special attention to this rich treat. When someone goes on a long journey in the family, special bread is baked. According to legend, it must be put on the table and not cleaned until the travelers return home. Almost all the rites of the Mari people are associated with bread, so every housewife, at least for the holidays, but bakes it herself.
Kugeche - Mari Easter
Mari use ovens not for heating, but in order to cook food. Once a year, pancakes and pies with porridge are baked in each house. This is done on a holiday called Kugeche, it is dedicated to the renewal of nature, and it is customary to remember the dead. Each house should have home-made candles made by cards and their assistants. The wax of these candles is filled with the power of nature and during melting enhances the effect of prayers, say the Mari. It is difficult to answer what faith the religion of this nation belongs to, but, for example, Kugeche always coincides with Easter celebrated by Christians. Several centuries erased the line between the faith of the Mari and Christians.
Celebrations usually last a few days. The combination of pancakes, cottage cheese and loaf for the Mari people means a symbol of the triple world. Also on this holiday, every woman should drink beer or kvass from a special fertility bucket. They also eat colored eggs, it is believed that the higher the owner smashes it against the wall, the better the hens will rush in the right places.
Rites in Kusoto
All people who want to unite with nature gather in the forest. Before the prayer cards light homemade candles. You can’t sing and make noise in the groves, the harp is the only musical instrument allowed here. Rituals of purification by sound are performed, for this they stab with an ax with a knife. Mari also believe that a breath of air will clear them of evil and allow them to connect with pure cosmic energy. The prayers themselves do not last long. After them, part of the food is sent to bonfires so that the gods enjoy the treats. The smoke of bonfires is also considered cleansing. And the rest of the food is distributed to people. Some take food home to treat those who could not come.
The Mari really appreciate nature, so the next day the cards come to the place of the rites and take away everything with them. After that, no one from five to seven years old can enter the grove. It is necessary that she restore energy and be able to saturate her people during the next prayers. This is what religion the Mari profess, it has become like other faiths during its existence, but still many rituals and legends have remained unchanged from ancient times. This is a very unique and amazing people devoted to their religious laws.