Warriors-deities in the 21st century: sacralization of legend characters in the modern Mari religion

Abstract (English)

The report is devoted to the commemorative and religious practices of the Mari people, one of the Finno-Ugric peoples of the Volga region. This population is characterized by a combination of Christianity and pagan beliefs (religious syncretism). Based on field materials, the author examines the tradition of honoring the heroes of local historical legends (patyrs). Among such heroes in different areas of the Mari people's residence (the Bashkortostan Republic, the Republic of Mari El, the Kirov region) the most common local heroes are Akpatyr, Keremet-Sultan, Poltysh, Chotkar, Chumbylat. Currently, monuments to these heroes are being erected and symbolic burials are being built. According to the legends, they defended the Mari people from the conquest of the Kazan Khanate or the Russian tsar in the 16th century. On the one hand, they are perceived by the bearers of the tradition as the once-living Mari rulers and warriors. On the other hand, their images are characterized by mythologization, special heroic power and abilities. At the same time, within the framework of cult activities, one can observe a tendency towards their religious veneration. This is manifested in 1) prayers and ritualized appeals, requests for help in solving a wide range of problems (health, career); 2) regular (usually annual) pilgrimages to the places of symbolic burial ore monuments to the heroes; 3) gifts left in these loci. It is important to note that the Mari heroes are not considered by believers and sacred specialists to be supreme deities. Folklore and ethnographic sources, modern narratives emphasize their connection with the earth sphere and their "semi-human" origin, a lower status than the gods. The author considers prayer rituals, some of which he attended himself, as communicative acts (following the concepts of E. Leach, E.S. Novik, V. Turner). A ritualized appeal to the hero is a communicative act in which information is exchanged between a group of believers and a folklore ruler. The intermediary in this communication is a sacred specialist, priest (kart).In addition to communication, the author also examines other functions of the prayer ritual. In particular, the integration of the ethnic community, the formation of a national myth about the "golden age", the formation of historical memory. In local traditions the objects of veneration, the Mari rulers are considered to be not only sacred patrons, but also historical figures.