Mari people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mari | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| Regions with significant populations | Russia |
| Language | Mari, Russian, Tatar |
| Religion | Russian Orthodoxy, Shamanism |
| Related ethnic groups | other Finno-Ugric peoples |
The Mari (also known as Cheremis in Russian and Çirmeş in Tatar) are a Volga-Finnic people in the Volga area, the natives of Mari El, Russia.
The total population of the Mari is 670,900 (1989), 324,400 of whom are in Mari El, and 19,500 in Tatarstan. The largest concentration of Mari is in Yoshkar-Ola, whose name means red city in the Mari language. Yoshkar-Ola contains a museum of Mari history.
The Mari speak two closely related Mari languages: Meadow Mari (марий йылме) and Hill Mari (мары йӹлмы). The languages can be divided further into dialects, including Eastern, and Northern-Western dialects.
Most Maris are Christians (converted in the 16th century by Ivan Grozny), while some are of the Marla faith, Christianity with a significant addition of pre-Christian elements.
