Mari El Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
federal subject of Russia, republic of Russia
About Mari El
Mari El is notable for being one of the last strongholds of organized paganism inEurope. While many of the Mari people have converted to Russian Orthodoxy, a sizable number practice the Mari Native Religion, which combines Christianity with significant native shamanistic traditions. The Russian and Soviet governments have been suspicious of Finno-Ugric nationalism within Mari El (andUdmurtia), however, and have discouraged the Mari Native Religion; accordingly, it may be difficult to have any experiences with the Mari Native Religion while visiting the region. But if you do, you may be lucky enough to experience some of the Mari People's millennia old traditions, like their marriage ceremonies in sacred forest groves. Today, ethnic Russians comprise a narrow plurality of the population, j
Mari El Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: