Traditions and rituals of the Mari people. National holidays of Mari El Project work on the theme of Mari folk holidays

Mari folk holidays

We live in interesting and challenging times. When we begin to look at many things differently, we rediscover and re-evaluate many things. First of all, this refers to our past, which we, it turns out, know superficially.

From ancient times big role in the life of the people had ritual holidays. And they have made and are making our life richer and more interesting.

One of these holidays is New Year . The celebration of the New Year among the ancient peoples usually coincided with the beginning of the revival of nature and was timed to coincide with the month of March. And then, by decree of Grand Duke John III, this day was timed to coincide with September 1st. On this day, everyone, whether a commoner or a noble boyar, could seek truth and mercy from the sovereign. And Peter the Great radically changed the way of celebrating the New Year. The drumbeat in the square announced to the people that the celebration of the New Year would be considered from January 1 from the Nativity of Christ. And so that the people decorate their houses with branches of spruce, pine, juniper trees. We wished each other happiness, kindness, well-being.

The next holiday is Maslenitsa. Meeting spring in the month of March, the expulsion of Death or Winter is performed. Maslenitsa is rolling hills and swings, these are sweet dishes and buffoons, these are booths, mummers, fist fights and other entertainments. Each day of Shrovetide week has its own name: Monday - a meeting (they built a snow mountain); Tuesday - flirting, Wednesday - gourmet, Thursday - revelry (fist fights, fortune telling), Friday - mother-in-law parties, Saturday - sister-in-law gatherings: Sunday - seeing off.

Holiday kugeche - easter. Easter was considered the biggest holiday. At Easter, they baked Easter cakes, dyed eggs, and went to the cemetery. It was believed that if the Easter cake was a success, everything would be fine in the family. Also on this day in every house there is a commemoration of the dead, visits to cemeteries. In some areas, bonfires were lit near churches. There was a custom - to steal firewood for these fires. On Easter, they always led round dances, sang, danced, played games.

Varieties - keche, the first commemoration. This holiday is celebrated in the month of April - the dead are commemorated, but without big ceremonies. On this day, the day of the commemoration, they brew beer, bake pancakes, cheesecakes, cook porridge, buy wine, invite relatives, neighbors, and at sunset, they begin the ceremony - commemoration of the dead.

One of important holidays marie is seven "to - se" myk- Day of remembrance of parents. This commemoration is performed by a combination of 2-3-4 or 5 families, united by one generic surname. They bake pancakes, light candles, read prayers.

Semik is also considered one of the best spring holidays. On this day, houses are taken with birch trees, strewn with grass, they lead round dances, and play.

Trinity- one of the main Christian holidays. Since Trinity Day falls in the summer month, many pagan chapels and mermaids are timed to it. They think that on Trinity Day, mermaids fall from trees. Children who die without baptism turn into mermaids. On Trinity Day, the girls asked the cuckoo how long they would be in their father's house. On this day, folk festivals with swings, games, fortune-telling are also arranged.

Aga-payrem- the feast of arable land. It happens in the spring, when the time comes for sowing in the fields and is accompanied by a public sacrifice from agricultural products - beer, honey, cheesecakes, cheesecakes, eggs, etc. Accompanied by prayers for the health of happy sowing and the blessing of sowing, general entertainment and games are arranged. The general sacrifice and prayers take place in a special place intended for this in a field or in a special grove.

Midsummer Day is celebrated on June 23 on the night of 23, on the night of Ivan Kupala. Having obtained a living fire from a tree, while singing special bathing songs, they light bonfires that night and perform various fortune-telling. Ivanovo night, according to popular belief, is considered a terrible night, full of magical phenomena. Baba-Yagas, sorcerers, witches fly to Bald Mountain and consult on how to harm people. On this night, according to legend, a fern blooms - a symbol of power. But all this is just beliefs and fairy tales.

Other religious holiday Petrov day- Day of Peter and Paul. Celebrated July 12th. This day was always celebrated widely, cheerfully and crowded. It begins with a fair where everything was sold, from cattle to jewelry. Also on Peter's Day, they made sacrifices to the gods, in some Mari cities they went to the cemetery and commemorated the dead.

Ilyin's day is the most joyful national Christian holiday - the day of the Harvest. Elijah - a prophet, called "terrible." It means fire, death, destruction. Various sacrifices were made on this day to foreshadow anger. It was forbidden to work that day. Already on the eve, jokes, laughter, conversations fall silent. On Ilyin's day, there were usually ritual fistfights and other types of male wrestling.

Mari holiday Shorykyol. According to the tradition of the Mari, all the guilty people for those sins, the crimes that they committed during the year, were punished in the Shorykyola House. Old man Vasli kugyza and old woman Vasli kuva in a mask walk around the village with their masked soldiers, go from house to house and show their owners their shortcomings. The custom of the Shorykyol court was introduced by the first Mari king Tyukak Shur. Such customs are also associated with his name, such as giving brides for 3 nights to the ruler and giving him his first child. The brides were accompanied by an executioner - savym to the sounds of bagpipes and a ram. And after 3 days, the wives were returned to their husbands.

This Finno-Ugric people believe in spirits, worship trees and beware of Ovda. The story of Mari originated on another planet, where a duck flew in and laid two eggs, from which two brothers appeared - good and evil. This is how life on earth began. The Mari people believe in it. Their rituals are unique, the memory of their ancestors never fades, and the life of this people is imbued with respect for the gods of nature.

It is correct to say marI and not mari - this is very important, not the emphasis - and there will be a story about an ancient ruined city. And ours is about the ancient unusual people of the Mari, who are very careful about all living things, even plants. The grove is a sacred place for them.

History of the Mari people

Legends tell that the history of the Mari began far from earth on another planet. From the constellation of the Nest, a duck flew to the blue planet, laid two eggs, from which two brothers appeared - good and evil. This is how life on earth began. The Mari still call the stars and planets in their own way: Ursa Major - the constellation of the Elk, the Milky Way - the Star Road along which God walks, the Pleiades - the constellation of the Nest.

Sacred groves of the Mari - Kusoto

In autumn, hundreds of Mari people come to the big grove. Each family brings a duck or a goose - this is a purlyk, a sacrificial animal for holding all-Mari prayers. Only healthy, beautiful and well-fed birds are selected for the ceremony. The Mari people line up for cards - priests. They check if the bird is suitable for sacrifice, and then they ask her forgiveness and consecrate with the help of smoke. It turns out that this is how the Mari express respect for the spirit of fire, and it burns bad words and thoughts, clearing the space for cosmic energy.

The Mari consider themselves a child of nature, and our religion is such that we pray in the forest, in specially designated places, which we call groves, - says consultant Vladimir Kozlov. - Turning to the tree, we thereby turn to the cosmos and there is a connection between the worshipers and the cosmos. We do not have any churches and other structures where the Mari would pray. In nature, we feel like a part of it, and communication with God passes through the tree and through sacrifices.

Sacred groves were not specially planted, they have existed since ancient times. Groves for prayers were chosen by the ancestors of the Mari. It is believed that in these places there is a very strong energy.

The groves were chosen for a reason, at first they looked at the sun, at the stars and comets, - Arkady Fedorov says.

Sacred groves in Mari are called Kusoto, they are tribal, all-village and all-Mari. In some Kusoto prayers can be held several times a year, while in others - once every 5-7 years. In total, more than 300 sacred groves have been preserved in the Republic of Mari El.

In the sacred groves you can not swear, sing and make noise. Enormous power is held in these sacred places. The Mari prefer nature, and nature is God. They address nature as a mother: vud ava (mother of water), mlande ava (mother of earth).

The most beautiful and tallest tree in the grove is the main one. It is dedicated to the one supreme God Yumo or his divine assistants. Rituals are held around this tree.

Sacred groves are so important for the Mari that for five centuries they fought to preserve them and defended their right to their own faith. At first they resisted Christianization, then Soviet power. In order to divert the attention of the church from the sacred groves, the Mari formally adopted Orthodoxy. The people went to church services, and then secretly performed Mari rites. As a result, there was a mixture of religions - many Christian symbols and traditions entered the Mari faith.

The Sacred Grove is perhaps the only place where women spend more time relaxing than working. They only pluck and butcher the birds. Men do everything else: make fires, install boilers, cook broths and cereals, equip Onapa - this is how the sacred trees are called. Next to the tree, special countertops are installed, which are first covered spruce branches symbolizing hands, then they are covered with towels and only then the gifts are laid out. Near Onapu there are tablets with the names of the gods, the main one is Tun Osh Kugo Yumo - the One Light Great God. Those who come to pray decide which of the deities they present bread, kvass, honey, pancakes. They also hang gift towels and scarves. After the ceremony, the Mari will take some things home, and something will remain hanging in the grove.

Legends about Ovda

... There once lived a obstinate Mari beauty, but she angered the celestials and turned her God into a terrible creature Ovda, with big breasts, which can be thrown over the shoulder, with black hair and feet turned heels forward. The people tried not to meet her, and although Ovda could help a person, but more often she caused damage. She used to curse entire villages.

According to legend, Ovda lived on the outskirts of villages in the forest, ravines. In the old days, residents often met with her, but in the 21st century no one saw a terrible woman. However, in remote places where she lived alone and today they try not to go. Rumor has it that she took refuge in the caves. There is a place that is called Odo-Kuryk (Mount Ovda). In the depths of the forest lie megaliths - huge rectangular boulders. They are very similar to man-made blocks. The stones have even edges, and they are composed in such a way that they form a jagged fence. Megaliths are huge, but it is not so easy to notice them. They seem to be skillfully disguised, but for what? One of the versions of the appearance of megaliths is a man-made defensive structure. Probably, in the old days, the local population defended itself at the expense of this mountain. And this fortress was built by hands in the form of ramparts. The steep descent was followed by an ascent. It was very difficult for the enemies to run along these ramparts, and the locals knew the paths and could hide and shoot from a bow. There is an assumption that the Mari could fight with the Udmurts for the land. But what kind of power did you need to have in order to process the megaliths and install them? Not even a few people can move these boulders. Only mystical beings can move them. According to legend, it was Ovda who could install stones to hide the entrance to her cave, and therefore they say in these places a special energy.

Psychics come to the megaliths, trying to find the entrance to the cave, the source of energy. But the Mari prefer not to disturb Ovda, because her character is like a natural element - unpredictable and uncontrollable.

For the artist Ivan Yamberdov, Ovda is the feminine principle in nature, a powerful energy that came from outer space. Ivan Mikhailovich often rewrites paintings dedicated to Ovda, but each time the result is not copies, but originals, or the composition will change, or the image will suddenly take on a different shape. - It cannot be otherwise, - the author admits, - after all, Ovda is a natural energy that is constantly changing.

Although no one has seen the mystical woman for a long time, the Mari believe in her existence and often healers are called Ovda. After all, whisperers, witches, herbalists, in fact, are conductors of that very unpredictable natural energy. But only healers, unlike ordinary people, know how to manage it and thereby cause fear and respect among the people.

Mari healers

Each healer chooses the element that is close to him in spirit. The sorceress Valentina Maksimova works with water, and in the bath, according to her, the water element gains additional strength, so that any illness can be treated. Carrying out rituals in the bath, Valentina Ivanovna always remembers that this is the territory of bath spirits and they must be treated with respect. And leave the shelves clean and be sure to thank.

Yuri Yambatov is the most famous healer in the Kuzhenersky district of Mari El. His element is the energy of trees. The entry was made a month in advance. It takes one day a week and only 10 people. First of all, Yuri checks the compatibility of energy fields. If the patient's palm remains motionless, then there is no contact, you will have to work hard to establish it with the help of a sincere conversation. Before starting treatment, Yuri studied the secrets of hypnosis, watched healers, and tested his strength for several years. Of course, he does not reveal the secrets of treatment.

During the session, the healer himself loses a lot of energy. By the end of the day, Yuri simply does not have the strength, it will take a week to restore them. According to Yuri, diseases come to a person from a wrong life, bad thoughts, bad deeds and insults. Therefore, one cannot rely only on healers, a person himself must make efforts and correct his mistakes in order to achieve harmony with nature.

Mari girl outfit

Mariykas love to dress up, so that the costume is multi-layered, and there are more decorations. Thirty-five kilograms of silver - just right. Putting on a suit is like a ritual. The outfit is so complicated that you can't wear it alone. Previously, in every village there were masters in vestments. In the outfit, each element has its own meaning. For example, in a headdress - srapana - a three-layer symbolizing the trinity of the world must be observed. Women's set of silver jewelry could weigh 35 kilograms. It was passed down from generation to generation. The woman bequeathed the jewelry to her daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, or she could leave it to her home. In this case, any woman living in it had the right to wear a kit for the holidays. In the old days, craftswomen competed to see whose costume would retain its appearance until the evening.

Mari wedding

... The mountain Mari have merry weddings: the gates are locked, the bride is locked up, matchmakers are not just allowed in. The bridesmaids do not despair - they will still receive their ransom, otherwise the bridegroom will not see the bride. At a Mountain Mari wedding, the bride is so hidden that the groom looks for her for a long time, but does not find her - and the wedding will be upset. The mountain Mari live in the Kozmodemyansk region of the Republic of Mari El. They differ from the Meadow Mari in language, clothing and traditions. The Mountain Maris themselves believe that they are more musical than the Meadow Maris.

The lash is a very important element at a Mountain Mari wedding. It is constantly clicked around the bride. And in the old days they say that the girl got it. It turns out that this is done so that the jealous spirits of her ancestors do not bring damage to the young and the groom's relatives, so that they release the bride in peace to another family.

Mariy bagpipe - shuvyr

... In a jar of porridge, a salted cow's bladder will ferment for two weeks, from which they will then make a magical shuvyr. Already soft bladder they will attach a pipe, a horn and you will get a Mari bagpipe. Each element of a shuvyr endows the instrument with its own power. Shuvyrzo during the game understands the voices of animals and birds, and listeners fall into a trance, there are even cases of healing. And the music of shuvyr opens the way to the world of spirits.

Veneration of deceased ancestors among the Mari

Every Thursday, residents of one of the Mari villages invite their dead ancestors to visit. For this, they usually don’t go to the cemetery, souls hear an invitation from afar.

Now there are wooden decks with names on the Mari graves, and in the old days there were no identification marks in the cemeteries. According to Mari beliefs, a person lives well in heaven, but he still yearns for the earth very much. And if in the world of the living no one remembers the soul, then it can become embittered and begin to harm the living. Therefore, deceased relatives are invited to dinner.

Invisible guests are accepted as living, a separate table is set for them. Porridge, pancakes, eggs, salad, vegetables - the hostess must put here a part of each dish that she has prepared. After the meal, treats from this table will be given to pets.

The gathered relatives dine at another table, discuss problems, and ask for help from the souls of their ancestors in solving complex issues.

For dear guests in the evenings, a bath is heated. Especially for them, a birch broom is steamed and heated. The hosts themselves can take a steam bath with the souls of the dead, but usually they come a little later. Invisible guests are escorted until the village goes to bed. It is believed that in this way souls quickly find their way to their world.

Mari Bear - Mask

Legend has it that in ancient times the bear was a man, a bad person. Strong, well-aimed, but cunning and cruel. His name was the hunter Mask. He killed animals for fun, did not listen to old people, even laughed at God. For this, Yumo turned him into a beast. Mask cried, promised to improve, asked him to return his human form, but Yumo ordered him to walk in a fur skin and keep order in the forest. And if he carries out his service regularly, then in the next life he will again be born a hunter.

Beekeeping in the Mari culture

According to Mari legends, bees were among the last to appear on Earth. They came here not even from the Pleiades constellation, but from another galaxy, otherwise how to explain the unique properties of everything that bees produce - honey, wax, perga, propolis. Alexander Tanygin is the supreme kart, according to the Mari laws, every priest must keep an apiary. Alexander has been dealing with bees since childhood, he studied their habits. As he says himself, he understands them at a glance. Beekeeping is one of the oldest occupations of the Mari. In the old days, people paid taxes with honey, bee bread and wax.

In modern villages, beehives are in almost every yard. Honey is one of the main ways to earn money. From above the hive is closed with old things, this is a heater.

Mari signs associated with bread

Once a year, the Mari take out the museum millstones in order to prepare the bread of the new harvest. The flour for the first loaf is ground by hand. When the hostess kneads the dough she whispers good wishes for those who get a piece of this loaf. The Mari have many signs associated with bread. When sending household members on a long journey, they put specially baked bread on the table and do not remove it until the departed one returns.

Bread is an integral part of all rituals. And even if the hostess prefers to buy it in the store, for the holidays she will definitely bake the loaf herself.

Kugeche - Mari Easter

The stove in the Mari house is not for heating, but for cooking. While firewood is burning in the oven, housewives bake multi-layered pancakes. This is an old national Mari dish. The first layer is the usual pancake dough, and the second is porridge, it is placed on a toasted pancake and the pan is again sent closer to the fire. After the pancakes are baked, the coals are removed, and pies with porridge are placed in a hot oven. All these dishes are designed to celebrate Easter, or rather Kugeche. Kugeche is an old Mari holiday dedicated to the renewal of nature and commemoration of the dead. It always coincides with Christian Easter. Homemade candles are an obligatory attribute of the holiday, they are made only by cards with their helpers. Mari believe that wax absorbs the power of nature, and when it melts, it strengthens prayers.

For several centuries, the traditions of the two religions have become so mixed up that in some Mari houses there is a red corner and on holidays home-made candles are lit in front of the icons.

Kugeche is celebrated for several days. Loaf, pancake and cottage cheese symbolize the triplicity of the world. Kvass or beer is usually poured into a special ladle - a symbol of fertility. After prayer, this drink is given to all women to drink. And on Kugech it is supposed to eat a colored egg. The Mari smash it against the wall. At the same time, they try to raise their hand higher. This is done so that the chickens rush in the right place, but if the egg is broken below, then the layers will not know their place. Mari also roll dyed eggs. At the edge of the forest, boards are laid out and eggs are thrown, while making a wish. And the further the egg rolls, the more likely it is to fulfill the plan.

There are two springs in the village of Petyaly near St. Guryev's Church. One of them appeared at the beginning of the last century, when the icon of the Smolensk Mother of God was brought here from the Kazan Mother of God hermitage. A font was installed near it. And the second source has been known since time immemorial. Even before the adoption of Christianity, these places were sacred for the Mari. Sacred trees still grow here. So both the baptized Mari and the unbaptized come to the springs. Everyone turns to their God and receives comfort, hope and even healing. In fact, this place has become a symbol of reconciliation of two religions - the ancient Mari and Christian.

Films about the Mari

Marie live in the Russian outback, but the whole world knows about them thanks to the creative union of Denis Osokin and Alexei Fedorchenko. The film "Heavenly Wives of the Meadow Mari" about the fabulous culture of a small people conquered the Rome Film Festival. In 2013, Oleg Irkabaev made the first feature film about the Mari people, A Pair of Swans Above the Village. Mari through the eyes of Mari - the movie turned out to be kind, poetic and musical, just like the Mari people themselves.

Rites in the Mari sacred grove

... At the beginning of the prayer, the cards light candles. In the old days, only home-made candles were brought to the grove, church candles were forbidden. Now there are no such strict rules, in the grove no one is asked at all what faith he professes. Since a person came here, it means he considers himself a part of nature, and this is the main thing. So during the prayers, you can also see the baptized Mari. The Mari gusli is the only musical instrument allowed to be played in the grove. It is believed that the music of the gusli is the voice of nature itself. Knife strikes on the blade of an ax resemble bell ringing - this is a rite of purification with sound. It is believed that the vibration of the air drives away evil, and nothing prevents a person from being saturated with pure cosmic energy. Those very nominal gifts, together with the tablets, are thrown into the fire, and kvass is poured on top. The Mari believe that the smoke from burnt food is the food of the Gods. Prayer does not last long, after it comes, perhaps, the most pleasant moment - a treat. The Mari put the first selected bones into the bowls, symbolizing the rebirth of all living things. There is almost no meat on them, but it doesn’t matter - the bones are sacred and will transfer this energy to any dish.

No matter how many people come to the grove, there will be enough treats for everyone. The porridge will also be taken home to treat those who could not come here.

In the grove, all the attributes of prayer are very simple, no frills. This is done to emphasize that everyone is equal before God. The most valuable things in this world are the thoughts and deeds of a person. And the sacred grove is an open portal of cosmic energy, the center of the universe, so with what attitude will a Mari enter the sacred grove, it will reward him with such energy.

When everyone has dispersed, the cards with assistants will remain to restore order. They will come here the next day to complete the ceremony. After such great prayers, the sacred grove should rest for five to seven years. No one will come here, no one will disturb Kusomo's peace. The grove will be charged with cosmic energy, which in a few years will be given back to the Mari during prayers in order to strengthen their faith in the one bright God, nature and space.

Abstracts for research work

"Mari folk holidays"

Head: Adelina Valeryanovna Prokopieva, teacher of MBOU "Bolsheshiinskaya secondary school"

I live in the Mari village Bolshaya Shiya, I am a member of a folklore ensemble. I became interested in the Mari traditions, customs and culture of my native land already in the 1st grade and therefore I set myself the goal: to study the Mari holidays and compare how the holidays of my native land preserved the customs and traditions of our ancestors.

I was given the following tasks:

collect material about the holidays held in their native village.

The study was built using the following methods:

Gathering information about holidays (conversations with grandmother);

Finding old photos and creating new ones;

Visiting the museum in MBOU "Bolsheshiinskaya secondary school"

Relevance of the topic: 2014 was declared the year of culture. The plan of class events planned for this year included the study of the traditions and life of the native village. Preservation of one's nation, culture is always interesting and important.

Our work describes the folk holidays "Shorykyol", "Uy arnya". "Kugeche", "Agavirem", "Uginde", "Semyk", "Peledysh payrem", which were held by the Mari from different regions. We tried to find out whether the holidays have lost their customs and traditions: the research paper contains the memories of the old-timers of the village about the celebration of these holidays in our village.

The following conclusions were made during the study:

In our region, the Mari holidays, with the exception of some, are preserved and held.

In addition to Orthodoxy, the Mari have their own pagan traditional religion, which helps to preserve the originality of the traditions and customs of their native land.

Introduction………………………………………………………………………….3

Chapter 1. Who are the Mari and how did they end up in Tatarstan?......................4

Chapter 2. Mari holidays..…………………………………………..5

2.1.Shorykyol (Svyatki)……………………………………………..5

2.2 Ӱyarnya (Shrovetide) …………………………………………...7

2.3 Agapayrem (Feast of arable land)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.4 Semyk (Semik) - the main holiday of the Mari……………13

2.5 Peledysh Payrem (Flower Festival)………………………15

2.6 Uginde (Harvest Festival)………………………………….16

Chapter 3. Holidays with sacrifice………………………………

3.1 Ritual ceremonial holiday Syarem (Purification)……..

3.2 U puchymysh (Festival of new porridge)………………………..

Chapter 4 Village Holidays Old Cherkassy and Grishkino……………

Introduction.

About 19.5 thousand Mari live in the Republic of Tatarstan.

In the Mamadysh region, where I live, the population of the Mari is 1.4% of the total population. There are 4 Mari villages in the district. The Mari are hardworking, cheerful people. The Mari people have their own wealth - traditions, rituals, their own culture, which is passed down from generation to generation.

Mari holidays are very ancient. They were born in the process of labor, associated with natural phenomena, with the main stages of agricultural work - spring sowing, plowing, harvesting. A variety of rituals and customs, magical actions, signs and beliefs, games and entertainment, common meals were aimed at ensuring the fertility of the earth, obtaining a rich harvest, high fertility, family well-being, and livestock offspring.

The purpose of my work is to study the Mari folk holidays and determine how similar these holidays are to the holidays of our village, to determine the reasons for the changes in the traditions and customs of their celebration.

to study the literature about the Mari holidays;

get acquainted with Internet resources on the topic;

collect material about the holidays held in your native village

The subject of my research: the culture and traditions of the Mari people.

Object of study: Mari holidays.

In my research work, I used materials collected from the mouths of the old-timers of our village, observations at my own performances.

Exploring this topic, I hope to get additional material about the culture, traditions, customs of my native people, as carriers of folk knowledge, pass the material I studied to my peers and interest them in the history and culture of my people and preserve it.

Chapter 1. Who are the Mari and how did they end up in Tatarstan?

Mari (Mar. Mari, Mary, Mare, mӓrӹ; earlier: Russian Cheremis, Turk. Chirmysh) are a Finno-Ugric people in Russia, mainly in the Republic of Mari El. It is home to about half of all Mari, numbering 604 thousand people (2002). The rest of the Mari are scattered in many regions and republics of the Volga region and the Urals.

There are three groups of Mari: mountain (they live on the right and partially left bank of the Volga in the west of Mari El and in neighboring regions), meadow (they make up the majority of the Mari people, occupy the Volga-Vyatka interfluve), eastern (they formed from settlers from the meadow side Volga to Bashkiria and the Urals) Mari living in the Mamadysh region belong to the meadow. They speak the Mari meadow-eastern Mari language of the Finno-Ugric group of the Ural family. The religion of the Mari is the Mari traditional religion. Most of the Mari profess Orthodoxy.

Since the 13th century, the Mari were part of the Golden Horde and the Kazan Khanate. After the conquest of the Kazan Khanate in 1552, the Mari lands that previously depended on it became part of the Muscovite state. Everywhere began to force to accept Christianity.

Cheremis began to be baptized, but among the meadow Mari there were a lot of stubborn people who did not want to pray to the new god. Tens of thousands of people fled to Bashkiria, Perm, to the territory of the present Sverdlovsk region, settled in different parts of present-day Tatarstan. Cheremis hid in the forests and retained their pagan faith in the good sky god Yumo to this day. The residence of the Mari in the Mamadysh region is a consequence of the historical development of states.

Before converting to Orthodoxy, the Mari had their own pagan traditional religion, which retains a certain role in the spiritual culture at the present time. A small part of the Mari professes Islam. The commitment of the Mari to their traditional faith is of great interest to journalists from Europe and Russia. The Mari are even called "the last pagans of Europe."

Chapter 2. Mari holidays

2.1. Shorykyol (Svyatki)

Shorykyol is one of the most famous Mari ritual holidays. It is celebrated during winter solstice(since December 22) after the birth of a new moon. Orthodox Mari celebrate it at the same time as Christian Christmas (January 6). However, the first day of the holiday is Friday (in the past, the traditional day of rest for the Mari), which does not always coincide with Christmas.

The holiday has several names. Most of the Mari population got the name Shorykyol - "sheep's leg", from the magical action performed on holidays - pulling sheep by the legs, in order to "call" a large offspring of sheep in the new year. At present, many elements of festive rituals have lost their traditional features, and dressing up and fortune-telling have turned into fun entertainment.

In the past, the Mari associated the well-being of their household and family, changes in life with this day. The first day of the holiday was especially important. Getting up early in the morning, the whole family went out to the winter field and made small piles of snow, resembling stacks and stacks of bread (lum kavan, shorykyol kavan). They tried to make as many as possible, but always in an odd number. Stuck on the stacks rye ears, and some peasants buried pancakes in them. Branches and trunks of fruit trees and shrubs were shaking in the garden in order to gather a rich harvest of fruits and berries in the new year.

On this day, the girls went from house to house, they always went into the sheepfolds and pulled the sheep by the legs. Such actions associated with the “magic of the first day” were supposed to ensure fertility and well-being in the household and family.

A number of signs and beliefs were timed to coincide with the first day of the holiday. According to the weather of the first day, they judged what spring and summer would be like, predictions were made about the harvest: “If the snow heap swept in Shorykyol is covered with snow, there will be a harvest (Shorykyol kavanym lum petyra gyn, kinde shochesh)”, “There will be snow in Shorykyol - there will be vegetables (Shorykyol keche luman liesh-pakcha saska shochesh)”.

An integral part of the Shorykyol holiday is the procession of mummers led by the main characters - Old Man Vasily and the Old Woman (Vasli kuva-kugyza, Shorykyol kuva-kugyza). They are perceived by the Mari as harbingers of the future, as the mummers foretell the householders a good harvest, an increase in the livestock in the courtyard, a happy family life. Old man Vasily and the Old Woman communicate with good and evil gods, so they can tell people how the harvest will be born, such will be life for every person. They are treated to beer, nuts, so that there are no complaints about stinginess.

To demonstrate their skill and diligence, they hang out their work - woven bast shoes, embroidered towels and spun threads. Having treated themselves, Old Man Vasily and his Old Woman scatter grains of rye or oats on the floor, wishing the generous owner an abundance of bread. Especially for the holiday, hazelnuts are cherished, which are treated to mummers. Often they cook dumplings with meat (shyl podkogylo). According to custom, a coin, pieces of bast, coal, etc. are placed in some of them. Depending on who and what gets caught while eating, they predict fate for a year. During the holiday, some prohibitions are observed: you can not wash clothes, sew and embroider, do heavy work.

Source: http://sgodnt.ru

From the memories of old-timers

The village is very fond of the holiday "Shorykyol". But in our village it is called "Shorchol", children and adults go home in the evenings. Show their skills to the owners (dance and sing). Adult mummers scold the negligent. Everyone is congratulated on the holiday, they wish family well-being, so that the lambs bring a large offspring.

A large place was occupied by divination, which the peasants attached great importance to. Fortune-telling was mainly associated with the prediction of fate. Marriageable girls wondered about marriage - whether they would get married in the new year, what kind of life awaits them in marriage. The older generation tried to find out about the future of the family, sought to determine the fertility of the harvest, how prosperous their household would be.

Holiday today.

This holiday remains one of my favorites. Costumed children and adults go from house to house, changing their voices, talking with the owners, inquiring about health, household chores. All mummers have baskets or bags for treats.

Saying goodbye, wish you success, wealth, health.

2.2 ӰYARNYA (Shrovetide)

The custom of the Mari ritual holiday "Uyarnya" dates back to ancient times. The ancestors of the Mari held a holiday at the end of winter, during which they arranged a farewell to winter and a meeting of spring with its life-giving power and solar warmth. It combined elements of winter and spring rituals, which became a feature of the holiday. The desire to awaken and revitalize nature, to revive the fertile forces of the earth, as well as to ensure the economic well-being of the family, to protect oneself and one's household from dark forces - the original idea of Maslenitsa has been forgotten at the present time. Maslenitsa is celebrated within one week from Friday to Friday - 4 weeks after Shorykyol payrem. The entire rural population, regardless of age, took part in the celebration, but the main role belonged to the youth, who had fun throughout the Maslenitsa week. There was a feeling that during the entire Maslenitsa people were only doing what they ate and drank, sang and danced, in a word, had fun from the heart.

The name Uyarnia (oil week) is not accidental. In church books, Maslenitsa is called cheese week, because in last week before fasting, it was no longer allowed to eat meat, but dairy products: cheese, eggs and butter, with which pancakes were poured abundantly - the main thing holiday dish, have not yet been banned. Pancakes are the main treat of the holiday.

From the memories of old-timers

Early in the morning, one of the women of the village (she was called Menai kokay) was the first to slide down the hill on a sled. There was a belief that whoever rolled down the earliest and to a greater distance would have a good harvest of flax. Also in the morning, adults dressed up horses, attached bells. Women on the street baked pancakes, prepared sweet hot tea. They rode horses along the village, they ride children, they sing songs. Thus, they frighten evil spirits, bring them to the "pancakes". Here they dance, play games, treat themselves to tea and pancakes.

At the end of the holiday, they burned a doll made of rye straw, shouted “Uyarnya kaen”, jumped over the fire, driving away the evil eye and damage, so that before next year to be healthy.

Holiday today.

The inhabitants of our village still celebrate this holiday: they ride horses, bake pancakes, burn a sheaf, and also arrange various games.

2.3Kugeche (Easter)

The traditional Mari holiday Kugeche - the Great Day - is traditionally celebrated at the end of the Easter week and is one of the most significant in the spring calendar cycle.

Kugeche is included in the complex of holidays Kon Payrem (lye festival or the holiday of the dead), so a significant place in it is given to the commemoration of deceased relatives with ritual refreshments. Pagan and Christian traditions merged in festive rituals. The Mari, being adherents of the ancient pagan faith, perform the rites of their ancestors, at the same time they also observe Christian ones. In the past, performing various magical actions, rituals of cleansing, protective and expiatory content, prayers, commemoration of dead ancestors, performing ritual dances, games, the Mari hoped to influence natural forces, the world and ensure future well-being in family and economic life.

During the Kugeche holiday, family and tribal prayers were held for the well-being of the economy, the well-being of the family. On each day of the week before Easter, certain rituals were performed. On Tuesday, called sang kon keche (half a lye day), they were protected from the penetration of evil forces, sorcerers - they locked doors and gates with bolts, rowan branches were hung over the doors. They washed in the bath, inviting dead relatives who came to the holiday. It was customary for the Eastern Mari to hold a thanksgiving prayer to the deities with a boiled horse head on this day. Wednesday - kon keche, toshtomariy kon keche (the day of lye, the day of the ancient Mari) was the day of prohibitions. Before lunch, they didn’t make a fire, didn’t heat the stove, didn’t go to the neighbors. Failure to comply with the prohibitions could affect the offspring of poultry, and, according to legend, in the summer a storm and hail could destroy the crop. On Thursday - varieties of keche (candle day), having gathered with their kind (fat), commemorated dead relatives, treated them to ritual food. They saw them off in the evening.

On Friday, kugu kon keche (big lye day) the holiday continued, the youth arranged various games on the street, swung on the swings specially installed for the holiday Saturday yumyn ayar kon keche (God's evil lye day) - they did not work, prepared ritual dishes for prayer, painted eggs. On Sunday morning, they watched the sun rise, washed in a bathhouse, then held courtyard prayers, made a bloodless sacrifice - pieces of ritual food, beer was thrown into the furnace (vozak).

One of the traditions of the holiday is swinging. According to Mari legends, the daughter of the god Yumynudyr descended on a swing to the ground to graze the endless herds of the deity. On earth, she fell in love with a forest boy. In order not to return home, the girl released the silk thread of the swing into the sky. The lovers became the progenitors of the Mari people. And in honor of the daughter of God, a tradition was born on the day of Kugeche to ride on a swing.

Source: http://www.ethnoinfo.ru

From the memoirs of my grandmother Spiridonova Anfisa Illarionovna.

Kugeche is a revered holiday in our village.

Now, starting from Palm Sunday (Mama Keche), they begin to prepare for the Kugeche holiday: they clean the house, decorate the house with fir branches (this is how they clean themselves from evil spirits), put branches on the floor, there is a belief that the resurrected Jesus will walk along these branches. Dyeing eggs, baking Easter cakes is a favorite pastime of every woman. The children are happy to help her. Colored eggs are distributed to children who go from house to house and collect them.

Adults do not leave the house for 3 days after Kugeche, do not visit guests. These days you can not bake pancakes. They say that you can burn the cheeks of Jesus, you can not do hard work, swear, talk badly about others. Everyone prays for well-being in the family and household.

On the eve, bread, salt are placed on the table for 3 days, painted eggs are placed in front of the icon and kept there for a whole year. They are said to protect against fires and disease.

Holiday today. The holiday has not lost its features even now. Children go from house to house collecting colored eggs, saying "Christ is risen!" Answering “Truly Risen”, adults serve eggs, Easter cakes, sweets. Adults go to the all-night service in the church. They consecrate eggs, Easter cakes, fir branches.

2.4 Agapayrem (Arable Field Festival)

This is a celebration of the completion of field work, a large agricultural pagan holiday with sacrifices.

The ritual ceremony is performed in a certain place, in a grove. It is customary to cook eggs, pancakes. The most massive, the most significant was spring holiday agavairem, or agapayrem. It was originally held before plowing. Under the influence of the customs of neighboring peoples, its dates were moved to summer and were timed to coincide with the end of sowing. It was designed to ensure a good harvest. Those who gathered in a sacred place, spreading out the brought treats, turned to God with a request to give a harvest, favor in the offspring of livestock, in breeding bees. Pieces of food were thrown into the fire. The prayer ended with a joint meal and games.

In the places of residence of the Mari with the Bashkirs and Tatars, the agapayrem merged with the Sabantuy, adopting its entertainment part with competitions, horse races, and games.

Before haymaking, a two-week prayer was held in a grove with sacrifices of a sheep, a cow, a horse and a bird. On the first day, before the prayer, a rite of surem was performed - the expulsion of the spirit-shaitan. Young men walked around the yards to the sound of rattles and drums, hitting the fences and walls of houses with rods and whips. They were given a meal.

Source: http://tttiho.blogspot.r

From the memoirs of teachers - veterans Sidorova Antonida Illarionovna

« The holiday was held before sowing. For this holiday, they stock up on eggs (a symbol of fertility), which suit various magical actions. Eggs are given to young brides to have many children. On this day, it was impossible to wash, dye threads, make noise.

An unplowed place was left in the field, the area of the house. Before sowing, they used to come here to pray. They brought eggs. Some of them were eaten, some were placed on the seed grain and prayed that the grain would be the size of an egg.

On the day of the holiday, they bathe in a bathhouse, put on clean clothes, cook pancakes, cheesecakes with potatoes, cheesecakes, dumplings with cottage cheese, and brew beer.

Holiday today

Currently, the Agavairem holiday is celebrated during the Tatar Sabantuy. In all the yards they collect things for the holiday. Children also participate in the collection. They dance and sing merrily in the street, calling everyone to the upcoming holiday.

It was believed that a thing won in competitions would bring health for a whole year. Children across the street dance and sing, calling everyone to a feast

2.5 Semyk (Semik) - the main holiday of the Mari

Semyk was celebrated 7 weeks after Easter: from Wednesday on the Trinity week and ended on Sunday - the day of the Trinity. Orthodox Mari have been celebrating it since Thursday.

Semyk holiday cycle begins summer holidays Mari, he is one of the most significant and beloved. Unlike the Russian Semyk, the main idea of the Mari holiday is to commemorate deceased relatives and ask them for blessings for good luck in household affairs and in everyday life.

Rites used to be performed during all public holidays and were mandatory. It should be noted that the first day of the holiday was associated with many beliefs of a protective nature and was a difficult day, according to the ideas of the Mari. In the morning, except for cooking, they stopped all types of work, until lunch they did not go outside their yard and made sure that no one came to them, otherwise they could bring trouble, even cattle were not driven out to pasture that day.

Having prepared the necessary ritual dishes, they began to commemorate. The senior member of the family lit candles on a specially installed shelf or at the icon according to the number of them a bright and calm life, asked their assistance for a prosperous life for the living. Then they treated themselves to food, setting aside pieces of food in a separate dish for the dead. The night from Wednesday to Thursday was considered the most dangerous - the time for the release of unclean forces (osal viy). People believed that at night the activity of unclean forces, sorcerers, who inflict damage, comes to life. To protect themselves, they lit fires, fired guns, making noise, guarding the village, their houses.

Everyone considered it obligatory to douse himself with water infused with herbs and flowers, to whip his body with a broom made from 41 types of plants. Young guys and girls spent the whole night going to the meadows to meet Semyk, returning home in the morning.

During the holiday, various prohibitions were observed - work related to the land was not performed, women did not wash linen, did not dye threads and did not whiten canvases. Failure to comply with them could bring hail or a hurricane to the crops. Friday, popularly called "Lopka Semyk" (wide Semik), was a day of general festivities. We went to visit, sang and danced to the playing of the harp and the bagpipes. The youth organized games and sang songs. Weddings were also planned on this day. There was a festive atmosphere all around. On Saturday, the festive feast ended. On Sunday, the Orthodox Mari celebrated the Trinity, and on Monday - Spirits Day ("mlande sochmo keche"). After these holidays, the time came "yara kenezh" (free summer) or "sonsa zhap" (time of rye flowering), which lasted 2-3 weeks. During this week, according to Christian custom, it was forbidden to touch the ground. Thus ended the festive week, the peasants began to prepare for haymaking.

From the memoirs of a veteran teacher Sidorova Antonida Illarionovna.

On the eve of the Semyk holiday, young people went to church. Here they prayed all night. In the morning, together with the priest, they came to the village. Pop walked around the yards. A table was set up in the courtyard, covered with a white tablecloth, a loaf of bread was placed on the table, and a candle was lit. The priest blessed and performed a prayer service. A loaf of bread was wrapped and hung on the roof, under a canopy until next year, they prayed that there would be peace and tranquility in this house. Guests from different villages came to the festival. In the evening there were games and festivities.

Gathering at the table, the elders lit candles and remembered all the dead by name, asked them to help in raising children, prayed for fertility, for the cattle to be healthy, for the dead to be protected from troubles. It was typical for young people to arrange various funny tricks that night: the guys could fill up the gates with logs, climbing onto the roof, plug the chimney near the bathhouse or house, knock over boilers with water in the bathhouse. That night, in the morning, they heated a bathhouse (“tuvyn: moncha”), bathing in it was part of the ritual complex of the Semyk holiday and performed a cleansing, healing and protective function.

Holiday today.

Every year the Semyk holiday is held on a regional scale. The holiday attracts delegations from all regions of Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Kirov region, where the Mari live.

A delegation from our village participates in this celebration every year. In the village itself, this holiday is not celebrated. In honor of this holiday, a memorial day for the dead is held. The bath is heated, pies are baked.

2.5 Peledysh Payrem (Flower Festival)

Peledysh payrem in Yoshkar-Ola is held as a mass festivities. The holiday program includes: a costume procession along the main streets of the city, the opening of the holiday on the main site central park culture and recreation, concert performances of the best professional and amateur groups and performers, games, competitions, national wrestling.

From the memories of old-timers.

This holiday is not celebrated in our village. But some villagers go to this holiday in Yoshkar-Ola. At the festival, you can see representatives of the mountain, meadow Mari, see the features of outfits, dances from different regions. Where do the Mari live?

2.6 Uginde (Harvest festival)

Uginde is included in holiday calendar all groups of Mari. It is celebrated at the very beginning of harvesting and field work during the Christian Ilyin's day (August 2). Orthodox Mari date it to Ilyin's day. The main idea of the holiday is to thank the gods for the new harvest, enlist their favor and provide bread for your family in the future.

The Uginde holiday is traditionally held as a family prayer. It was considered obligatory. On the day of the holiday, it was customary to bake bread from new flour, to brew beer. The eldest member of the family lit a candle on the edge of the grain bowl, and, thanking the gods for the new harvest, asked for favorable weather for further work, health for the whole family, and blessings for the next year's new harvest. All family members, close relatives, neighbors participated in ritual actions. The first piece of bread was broken off by the person who was believed to have Perke (abundance, prosperity), then everyone else tasted it.

In some villages, sacrifices were made to the god of abundance Perke Yumo in a sacred grove. The mountain Mari visited the church on the day of the holiday - they prayed and consecrated new grain, new bread. Today, fresh vegetables are also consecrated in the church.

From the memoirs of old-timers:

“After Peter's day, they went to the fields to reap bread. From the flour of the new crop they baked "mushnik" - a flat cake on cabbage leaves. They said that on the day of the holiday the oven should not remain cold, the house must have the smell of bread.

Holiday today.

This holiday is not celebrated as before, but the older generation still honors it, because "bread is the head of everything." Freshly baked bread is the main dish on the festive table. And for every festive table they put bread first, desiring never to be deprived of it.

Chapter 3

3.1 Ritual ceremonial holiday Syarem (Purification)

The ritual ceremonial holiday is associated with certain magical actions - exorcism, playing the ritual pipes. Seven bonfires dedicated to each of the pagan gods are lit on Syarem, they listen to the words of the ancient prayer of the priests - karts, ride on horseback, and make sacrifices to the gods. As a rule, several hundred admirers of the ancient Mari cult take part in the celebration. Also during this holiday-prayer, a traditional rite of exorcism is performed.

3.2 U puchymysh (Festival of new porridge)

Puchymysh is held until the Orthodox Mikhailov's Day (November 21), in some places - on the Saturday before the feast of the Intercession (October 14), in others - on the Saturday before the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (November 4) or on Friday after it.

The holiday U puchymysh is important for rural residents, it celebrates the results of autumn harvesting, ritually legitimizes the beginning of the consumption of bread from the new harvest.

For the holiday, oatmeal porridge is prepared, unleavened sherginde cakes are baked from flour. First of all, relatives, neighbors, and spiritual relatives of the yumyn tan were invited to the holiday. Having tasted the new porridge, they sang and danced to the harp and bagpipes. It was believed that the more guests at the festival "At the Puchymysh", the richer the owner would be, because. a guest who has eaten a slice of bread and a spoonful of porridge leaves behind twice as much. On the day of the holiday, each owner, going out into the garden, blew the ritual trumpet shyzhyvuch (autumn trumpet), letting them know about the family celebration. The festive rites included the ritual of treating porridge and pancakes to the owner of the barn (agun oza).

Chapter 4

The inhabitants of the village of Old Cherkassy and Grishkino adhere to Orthodox and pagan traditions. Muzafarova Lyuba, librarian at Grishkinskaya rural library says that the Mari of the village of Old Cherkassy honor Orthodox holidays, and the inhabitants of the village of Grishkino honor pagan holidays with sacrifices. In the village of Grishkino, the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated. This Orthodox holiday among the Mari, the village of Grishkino has a pagan connotation. Sacrifice is also accepted

Conclusion

Every nation has its own traditional holidays. Having studied the Mari holidays, getting acquainted with the traditions and customs of the native village, it can be argued that the roots of many Mari holidays go deep into the paganism of the Mari people. The paganism of the Mari people is a whole boundless world. In addition, this world is alive to this day. Adherents of paganism are called "chimari", which means "pure Mari" or "real Mari". Why "pure Mari"? - Mari, who retained the original faith, did not join the other. The Mari people at all times worshiped the forces of nature, felt like a particle of it, realized that they were not the king of nature, who was allowed to destroy it as they pleased.

Having preserved, honoring the culture and traditions of our native land, we will preserve our nation, our people.

The collected material will help my friends to become more familiar with the traditions and customs of the Mari people and not lose their wealth.

Kalinina O.A. Mary holidays. - Yoshkar-Ola, 2006.-51 p.

History and culture of the Mari people / Ed. A.A. Andriyanova, O.M. Gerasimova, Yoshkar-Ola: Mariy book publisher, 1994

History and culture of the Mari people: Reader for students in grades 5.6 / Ed. G.I.Soloviev. - Yoshkar-Ola: Mariy book publisher, 1993

Mari holidays calendar for 2017

IN new year holidays Mari get rid of the bad old and dream of a good new one. The annual holiday cycle for the Mari begins with the holiday Shorykyol, which means "Born New Year" and indicates the birth of a new time, when daylight begins to increase and, according to Mari signs, the water in the river freezes, and the bear turns over to the other side. To the first winter holiday Mari prepared in advance, carefully and thoroughly collecting ordinary and ritual dishes on the festive table. On this day, animals were coaxed with food.

Shorykyol is one of the most famous Mari ritual holidays. It is celebrated during the winter solstice (from December 22) after the birth of a new moon. Orthodox Mari celebrate it at the same time as Christian Christmas (January 6). However, the first day of the holiday is Friday (in the past, the traditional day of rest for the Mari), which does not always coincide with Christmas.

In the past, the Mari associated the well-being of their household and family, changes in life with this day. The first day of the holiday was especially important. Getting up early in the morning, the whole family went out to the winter field and made small piles of snow, resembling stacks and stacks of bread (lum kavan, shorykyol kavan). They tried to make as many as possible, but always in an odd number. Rye ears were stuck on stacks, and some peasants buried pancakes in them. Branches and trunks of fruit trees and shrubs were shaking in the garden in order to gather a rich harvest of fruits and berries in the new year.

An integral part of the Shorykyol holiday is the procession of mummers led by the main characters - Old Man Vasily and the Old Woman (Vasli kuva-kugyza, Shorykyol kuva-kugyza). They are perceived by the Mari as harbingers of the future, as the mummers foretell the householders a good harvest, an increase in the offspring of livestock in the courtyard, a happy family life. Old man Vasily and the Old Woman communicate with good and evil gods, so they can tell people how the harvest will be born, such will be life for every person. The owners of the house try to welcome the mummers as best as possible. They are treated to beer, nuts, so that there are no complaints about stinginess.

To demonstrate their skill and diligence, they hang out their work - woven bast shoes, embroidered towels and spun threads. Having treated themselves, Old Man Vasily and his Old Woman scatter grains of rye or oats on the floor, wishing the generous owner an abundance of bread. Among the mummers, there are often a Bear, a Horse, a Goose, a Crane, a Goat and other animals. Especially for the holiday, hazelnuts are cherished, which are treated to mummers. Often they cook dumplings with meat (shyl podkogylo). According to custom, a coin, pieces of bast, coal, etc. are placed in some of them. Depending on who and what gets caught while eating, they predict fate for a year. During the holiday, some prohibitions are observed: you can not wash clothes, sew and embroider, do heavy work.

Ritual food plays a significant role on this day. A hearty lunch on Shorykyol should provide food sufficiency for the coming year. A lamb's head is considered an obligatory ritual dish. In addition to it, traditional drinks and dishes are prepared: beer (pura) made from rye malt and hops, pancakes (melna), oatmeal unleavened bread (sherginde), cheesecakes stuffed with hemp seeds (katlama), pies with hare or bear meat (merang ale mask shyl kogylyo), baked from rye or oatmeal unleavened dough “nuts” (shorykyol paksh).

On February 12, the old Mari national holiday "Konga Payrem" ("Stove Festival") is celebrated. There is nothing surprising in the fact that the stove has its own holiday. But it is unlikely that it is widely celebrated now - after all, in modern villages, not every house has a stove. The stove was a symbol of the hearth. Previously, a stove was located in the hut near the door. It was possible to do without a bed or a wardrobe, but it was impossible to do without a stove. People used to say about her: “The stove feeds, the stove warms, the stove is mother”. Because the oven actually fed, and warmed in severe frosts, and healed, and soap-steamed, and even predicted the weather, and was able to do many more different things. As the hostess got up in the morning, the first thing she did was to heat the stove.

All day the oven puffs - tries. Bread, pancakes are baked for the whole family and guests. The stove warms and illuminates the hut. After all, as you know, any dish cooked in the oven is much tastier than made on an electric or gas stove. Porridges in a cast-iron from the oven are more rich, pies are more magnificent and tasty. There were conversations at the stove, and how many fairy tales were told on the stove during long, winter evenings. It is thought that the most the best gift on the Day of the oven there will be bread, pancakes and pies baked in it.

The name Uyarnia (oil week) is not accidental. In church books, Maslenitsa is called cheese week, because in the last week before Lent it was no longer allowed to eat meat, but dairy products: cheese, eggs and butter, which were poured over pancakes - the main holiday dish - were not yet banned. Pancakes are the main treat of the holiday.

The white cloth of the Mari flag from the side of the staff is bordered by a vertical stripe with a traditional red Mari ornament. The central element of the flag is a former (silver) French shield crowned with a land crown stylized as a Mari ornament. The shield depicts a red bear standing on its hind legs. In the right paw of the bear is a sword in a decorated scabbard and a golden hammer. In the left paw is a blue shield with a golden border and a golden image of the solar sign. The traditional white color of the Mari people was chosen for the background of the flag, symbolizing purity, kindness and honesty. The bear depicted on the coat of arms is the image of the protector of the forest, which also personifies the ancient ethnic group of the local Slavic and Finno-Ugric peoples. The sword and hammer in the paws of the animal symbolize power and hard work, the solar sign in the form of a beveled Mari cross is a traditional symbol of fertility and the cycle of life.

The State Emblem of the Republic of Mari El is a shield, in the silver field of which is depicted a rising scarlet bear with golden claws, teeth and black and silver eyes. In the right paw is a downward facing sword in an azure scabbard with gold fragments and a gold hammer with a silver handle. In the left paw there is an azure shield bordered with gold with the image of a gold oblique Mari cross formed by two pairs of narrow bandages, at the ends twice bent inside each pair, with a rhombus in the middle. The coat of arms is crowned with a crown of land with teeth stylized as a Mari ornament with three separate rhombuses. The bear in the coat of arms symbolizes prudence and strength, points to the forest nature of nature. The sword is a symbol of readiness to defend the Fatherland, and also symbolizes peacefulness and the desire for law and order. A shield with a beveled Mari cross, a symbol of a talisman, symbolizes the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens. The land crown indicates the status of a subject of the Russian Federation.

The Easter ritual began with Palm Sunday(Kichke payrem). On the eve of the holiday, a rite of exorcism was performed. The guys, taking branches of mountain ash or willow, walked around the village and beat on outbuildings.

The traditional Mari holiday Kugeche - the Great Day - is traditionally celebrated at the end of the Easter week and is one of the most significant in the spring calendar cycle. Kugeche is associated with prayers, reverence for reviving nature and family. Mari national dishes and painted Easter eggs are placed on the sacrificial table.

Kugeche is included in the complex of holidays Kon Payrem (lye festival or the holiday of the dead), so a significant place in it is given to the commemoration of deceased relatives with ritual refreshments. Pagan and Christian traditions merged in festive rituals. The Mari, being adherents of the ancient pagan faith, perform the rites of their ancestors, at the same time they also observe Christian ones. In the past, performing various magical actions, ceremonies of cleansing, protective and expiatory content, prayers, commemoration of dead ancestors, performing ritual dances, games, the Mari hoped to influence the natural forces, the world around them and ensure well-being in family and economic life in the future.

On Monday, the holiday ended with the ceremony of Tashlama Yumash (a feast with a treat of beer from the ritual ladle of the Tash-Lama). Separate groups of Mari continued to celebrate further, calling this week "little Easter" (izi Kugeche).

The arable land holiday, the plow holiday is celebrated on June 5th. This is a celebration of the completion of field work, a large agrarian pagan holiday with sacrifices.

The ritual ceremony is performed in a certain place, in a grove. It is customary to cook eggs, pancakes. The most massive, the most significant was the spring holiday agavairem, or agapayrem. It was originally held before plowing. Under the influence of the customs of neighboring peoples, its dates were moved to summer and were timed to coincide with the end of sowing. It was designed to ensure a good harvest. Those who gathered in a sacred place, spreading out the brought treats, turned to God with a request to give a harvest, favor in the offspring of livestock, in breeding bees. Pieces of food were thrown into the fire. The prayer ended with a joint meal and games.

In the places of residence of the Mari with the Bashkirs and Tatars, the agapayrem merged with the Sabantuy, adopting its entertainment part with competitions, horse races, and games.

Semyk was celebrated after 7 weeks from Easter: from Wednesday on the Trinity week and ended on Sunday - the day of the Trinity. Orthodox Mari have been celebrating it since Thursday.

The meaning of the holiday. The cycle of summer holidays of the Mari begins with the Semyk holiday, it is one of the most significant and beloved. Unlike the Russian Semyk, the main idea of the Mari holiday is to commemorate deceased relatives and ask them for blessings for good luck in household affairs and in everyday life.

In the past, all the complex and diverse rituals were aimed at strengthening the economy, the family well-being of people. The holiday contributed to the rallying of the rural team, strengthening the relationship of related groups, their unity.

Rites used to be performed during all holidays and were obligatory. It should be noted that the first day of the holiday was associated with many beliefs of a protective nature and was a difficult day, according to the ideas of the Mari. In the morning, except for cooking, they stopped all types of work, until lunch they did not go outside their yard and made sure that no one came to them, otherwise they could bring trouble, even cattle were not driven out to pasture that day.

It was typical for young people to arrange various funny tricks that night: the guys could fill up the gates with logs, climbing onto the roof, plug the chimney near the bathhouse or house, knock over boilers with water in the bathhouse. That night, in the morning, they heated a bathhouse (“tuvyn: moncha”), bathing in it was part of the ritual complex of the Semyk holiday and performed a cleansing, healing and protective function. Everyone considered it obligatory to douse himself with water infused with herbs and flowers, to whip his body with a broom made from 41 types of plants. Young guys and girls spent the whole night going to the meadows to meet Semyk, returning home in the morning.

A holiday in honor of the plant world, one of the summer holidays that have an ancient pagan basis. For the first time Peledysh Payrem under the name Yoshkar Peledysh Payrem was held in 1920 in the village of Sernur. It was timed to coincide with the folk calendar holidays Agavay-rem and Semyk in order to replace them and distract the rural population from religious holidays. In the first years of Soviet power, Peledysh payrem played a big role in the education of the Mari people. In the 20-30s of the XX century, the holiday contributed to the consolidation of a new life among the people, brought knowledge and culture into the everyday life of the Mari. IN modern period Peledish payrem is an integral part of the national culture of the Mari people. It glorifies peaceful labor, people of labor, serves to strengthen the national self-consciousness of the people, its unity, affirms the idea of preserving the language, songs, dances, folk costume promotes friendship between peoples. In rural areas, a single form of Peledysh payrem was established. The holiday consists of 2 parts - solemn and entertaining. The solemn part includes the opening of the holiday with the raising of flags, summing up the results of spring field work, and honoring the leaders of agriculture.

Peledysh payrem in Yoshkar-Ola is held as a mass festivities. The program of the holiday includes: a costumed procession along the main streets of the city, the opening of the holiday on the main site of the central park of culture and recreation, concert performances by the best professional and amateur groups and performers, games, contests, national wrestling.

The big holidays among the Mari are connected with the agricultural cycle of work. Their content was largely determined by the traditional Mari religion. The most massive, the most significant was the spring holiday Agavayrem, or Agapairem. It was originally held before plowing. Under the influence of the customs of neighboring peoples, its dates were moved to summer and were timed to coincide with the end of sowing. It was designed to ensure a good harvest.
Those gathered in a sacred place, spreading out the brought treats, turned to God with a request to give a harvest, favor in the offspring of livestock, in breeding bees. Pieces of food were thrown into the fire. The prayer ended with a joint meal and games.
In the places of residence of the Mari with the Bashkirs and Tatars, Agapairem merged with Sabantuy, taking over its entertainment part with competitions, horse races, and games. Before haymaking, a two-week prayer was held in a grove with sacrifices of a sheep, a cow, a horse and a bird. On the first day, before the prayer, the rite Surem was performed - the expulsion of the spirit-shaitan. Young men walked around the yards to the sound of rattles and drums, hitting the fences and walls of houses with rods and whips. They were given a meal.
A kind of harvest festival (Uginde payrem) was held after harvesting rye. In each house, they cooked porridge, pancakes, baked pies and bread from the grain of the new crop, and expected relatives and neighbors to visit. Putting in front of them on the table porridge from new grain ground on hand millstones, they uttered well-wishes to the ancestral spirits. A prayer of thanksgiving was brought to the "owner of the barn", treating themselves to pancakes after a collective (in the form of "help") threshing. The autumn slaughter of cattle ended with a festive evening (Shyl kas). Close people gathered for refreshments after the calving of the cow.
In some villages, where the population went through the rite of baptism, Christian holidays were celebrated: Easter, Trinity, etc. On Maslenitsa (Ӱyarnya) - basically a pagan holiday - they organized collective sleigh rides from nearby hills. Pagan beliefs turned out to be deep, ancient rites were timed to coincide with Christian holidays.
During the years of Soviet power, new holidays were introduced in the Mari village. In addition to the generally accepted revolutionary holidays, scenarios were developed for solemn ceremonies of initiation into collective farmers, seeing off to the army or meeting soldiers after service. Schools hold graduation parties. Schools and families celebrate the New Year. Harvest Day is solemnly and festively celebrated. Some bright moments of traditional rites, devoid of religious overtones, are included in the new way of life.
Today, national holidays are an important part of the event calendar of the Republic of Mari El.
Tourism Committee of the Republic of Mari El