More than 420,000 members of this Finno-Ugric ethnic group live in Russia, primarily in the Republics of Mari El and Bashkortostan. The Mari people's self-designation has Iranian roots and means ‘person’ or ‘man’. Alexey Filippov/SputnikThe main holiday of the Mari people is ‘Peledysh Payrem’, which translates as ‘Flower Festival’. The Mari pantheon includes approximately 40 gods and a multitude of various spirits, who are appeased with animal sacrifices. Alexey Filippov/SputnikThe main national dish of the Mari people is ‘podkogylyo’ dumplings.