Their greatest asset is their virgin forest, huge swathes of oxygen-rich birch and pine. They worship their trees, literally, whilst praying in sacred groves throughout the region. In fact, "Chimari Yula", as they call their religion, is pre-Christian, a form of paganism, and the Mari believe in drawing energy from their ancestors. They worship many Gods and Trees - like the vengeful "Keremet-Tumo" (oak tree), and "Kugu-Yumo", the all-powerful Sun god, or "Chumbylat On", a great warrior king and defender of the Mari. Prayers range from domestic worship or family outings like the one described above to mass gatherings held during the sowing (May-June) and

harvesting (September-October) seasons. These are led by a "Kart", or elected holy man, who chants prayers aloud, often including his own thoughts and opinions, rather like a priest reading a sermon. After the revolution, paganism in Mari El suffered as much as other religions. In two instances, the Soviet authorities began campaigns to cut down the sacred groves, although in both cases the initiators of these campaigns met untimely deaths shortly afterwards. In this, "Chimari Yula" demonstrated its darker side - the presence of witch doctors and curses.