Mari national costume

Автор: Ильина Марина Эльдаровна

Организация: Медведевская СОШ №3

Населенный пункт: Республика Марий Эл, п.г.т. Медведево

Mari people are divided into three linguistic and cultural groups: meadow, mountain, and eastern. Meadow Mari occupy the left bank of the Volga, mountain Mari occupy the right bank or the upland side of Volga River.

The Mari costume has a number of similarities with the costumes of other people of the Volga region (the Chuvash, Mordvins and Udmurts). Anyway, the Mari costume has its own features and peculiarities. The main colors of the costume are white and red with embroidery.

An ordinary Mari costume consists of a shirt, trousers, a belt, a headdress and shoes: in everyday life they wear woven bast shoes and on holidays they wear boots made of sheep or cowhide. A tunic is the main part of any Mari costume. Girls often decorate their tunics with ornaments.

In the cold season, the national costume includes: caftans, a sheepskin coat, winter shoes (felt boots) and a warm headdress (a woolen hat).