Mari El Republic story in NY Times

[beautifulbooks]

While sipping my coffee this morning I found a story about the pagans who still live and practice their nature-based religion in remote villages in Russia: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/russian-pagans-continue-ancient-traditions/#

I recently purchased the Mary El Tarot and couldn't help but smile to think that, perhaps, there was some inspiration from there??? Though it might just be a coincidence. Still an interesting story I thought others, particularly pagans, might enjoy.

Aloha

 

[mrpants]

Very interesting story! I did just a tiny bit of digging, but I can't find any explanation for the name of her tarot deck.

More photos from the woods:

http://www.tatianaplotnikova.com/the-mari-last-pagans-of-europe

So, so gorgeous!

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

Great story!

 

[delinfrey]

Well, Mariell (or Marielle, Mariella, Mariel, Muriel etc) is a rather common female name.
Secondly, Mari people are a Finno-Ugric nation (not Slavic or Russian), and have a similarly nature-focused pagan belief system (like Finnish, Estonian etc) where nature has a magical influence over people and is greatly honoured still today.

But about Mary-El Tarot - I can't remember where I read that (though probably in the Landscapes of the Abyss), but Mary signifies Virgin Mary and El the ancient name for God.