This paper takes the form of a report from the Republic of Mari El in the Russian Federation. This Republic is the territorial autonomy named after the Mariii people, who speak a Finno-Ugric language, and a majority of whom worship in the pre-Christian (and pre-Muslim) Yazichestvo (Shamanism). The republic succeeded the Marii autonomy created in the USSR. At the time of Ivan IV's conquest of Kazan, now capital of Tatarstan, in the 16th century, the Western (mountain) Mari fought with Moscow, the Eastern fought with the Tatars - they maintained Yazichestvo. The current President has the most negative attitude to the Marii, and is rebuilding the capital, Yoshkar-Ola, in "Italian Renaissance"style. There are three National-Cultural Autonomies in Marii El, Tatar, Jewish and Ukrainain. These NCAs have a very limited religious and cultural function, and are subsidised by the republican budget. Ironically, those Marii who fled eastwards to escape Christianity, now living in the territorial autonomy of the Bashkirs, Baskortostan, have retained their language and religion with great success - and have National Cultural Autonomy.
This paper is the next step in research carried out by the author for the last 10 years (three articles and chapters). The case of the Marii is poignant and paradoxical. Questions are posed concerning the efficacy and future of both territorial and non territorial autonomy in the Russian Federation.
