Mari mythology: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{Short description|Myths in the Mari folk heritage}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2018}}
'''Mari mythology''' is a collection of myths belonging to the [[Mari people|Mari]] folk heritage. It has many similar features and motifs with [[Mari people|Maris']] neighbouring people, like the [[Komi peoples|Komis]], [[Udmurt people|Udmurts]] and [[Mordvins]]. Many of their myths are also distantly related to the myths of other [[FinnicFinno-Ugric peoples]].
The biggest literary work on Mari mythology is the Mari epic "[[Jugorno]]", written by the [[Russians|Russian]] Anatoli Spiridonov in 2002. The epic was originally written in Russian, despite Spiridonov being very knowledgeable on the [[Mari language]] and Mari folk poetry. However, a [[Mari language|Mari]] translation by Anatoli Mokejev was provided alongside the publication of the original epic. In 2015, the epic was translated into [[Estonian language|Estonian]] by [[Arvo Valton]].
== The creation and cosmology ==
[[File:Jumo den Jyn 04.jpg|thumb|Jumo Kugu-Yumo and his brother Jõn. (Kijamat) in the form of drakes create peace on the waters of the oceans]]
The [[Mari people|Mari]] creation myth is a typical [[FinnicUralic mythologies|FinnicUralic]] creation myth. In the beginning there was an eternal ocean in which a duck swam. She looked for land to lay her eggs on. When she finally found land, she could only fit two of her three eggs there. Out of the first egg came a duck called Jum (probably the initial form of the skygod Kugu Jumo), who started work with creating the world. And out of the second egg came a duck called Jõn (probably the initial form of the god of death Kijamat), who went out to create the underworld. Out of the third egg later came Targõltõš.
The Maris believed the sky to revolverevolved around the Northern Star, held up by the pillar of the world Kava Menge.
The end of the world lies in the north, beyond the three rivers Tupsa, Perža and Voja.
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== Gods, heroes and other beings ==
* Oš Kugu Jumo - "Great White God". The chiefgod and the [[god of the sky]] and light. One of the three main gods.
* Jumõn Üdõr - Daughter of Kugu Jumo.
* Onar - Mythological giant. The ancestor of Maris. Son of Kugu Jumo and Mlandava.
* Onaj - Son of Onar. Sorcerer and the husband of Piambar. The mediator between Kugu Jumo and the human world.
* Mlandava - Earthmother[[Earth mother]].
* Nönčõk-patõr - A hero made out of dough.
* Čumbõlat<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.suri.ee/il/99/4/palvus.html|title=PALVUS TŠUMBÕLATI MÄEL 1999. AASTA SUVEL (in Estonian)|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> - Chief of Kokšar. He was buried by the river Nemdõ.
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* Izim - Salij's father.
* Alataj - Izim's father, from the "Lands of the Seven Great Lakes".
* Tõlze - [[God of the moon]]. Protector of marriage and birth.
* Keče - [[God of the sun]].
* Čodõra-kuva - Forestmother. Goddess of hunting.
* Kijamat - The [[god of the dead]] and the underworld. Brother to Kugu Jumo.
* Pürõžö - One of the three main gods. God of fate.
* Küdõrčö - One of the three main gods. [[God of thunder]].
* Piambar - Daughter of Jumo. Married Onaj against his father's will and thus had to live in the men's world.
* Azõren - Kijamat's helper, who brings the dead to the underworld.
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* Čolman - Horseman. Went to Ošvič and the [[Kama River|Kama]] area.
* Sjar - Son of Akpatõr. Took his people to the southern areas of [[Volga River|Volga]]. Ancestor of Hill Maris.
* Torkan - Leader of the Eastern Maris. Became a Keremet<ref>{{efn|A Keremet is a half-god, similar to a saint.</ref>}} with the name Sultan.
* Rjažan - Skilled horseman from the [[Ural Mountains|Urals]].
* Almakaj - Organiser of [[Mari people|Mari]] meetings.
* Kukarka - The headkart<ref>{{efn|A kart is a head of the Mari religion. See also [[Mari native religion]].</ref>}} of all karts. Together with Čimale, the rulers of the North-East Mari county of Jüksern.
* Šurma - The Udmurt ruler of Šurma, the ancient home of [[Udmurt people|Udmurts]].
* Külmez - An [[Udmurt people|Udmurt]] hero. The only trustworthy friend of Šurma.
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* Nekoš - A keremet of the Northern [[Mari people|Maris]].
* Oš Kugu Pürtüš - "The White Infinity". Nature.
*
== References and notesFootnotes ==
{{notelist}}
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== References ==
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== Sources ==