Mari Flower Festival: the history of Peledysh Pairem
Peledysh Pairem is one of the main holidays of the Mari people. It is always celebrated on a grand scale: residents from all corners of the republic, regardless of nationality, take part in the festivities. ****
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The Flower Festival – this is how “Peledysh Pairem” is translated from Mari – is quite young. It was celebrated for the first time on May 27, 1920 in Sernur. The idea of creation was voiced at the II provincial congress of nationalities of the Vyatka province. The purpose of the holiday was formulated very poetically: “so that the Mari people would believe in their star, be reborn by the new moon, and shine with the sun.” The newspaper “Mari Ilysh” (“Mari Life”) published an order accompanying recommendations for holding Yoshkar Peledysh Payrem:****
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“If the future of your people is dear to you; your clothes are white as snow; your mind is quick as lightning; your eyes are bright like stars; the power of Onar is in your body; flexible, like wax, your tongue; Your songs are as beautiful as the chirping of birds; implicit, like the wings of a butterfly, your soul; if you want the Mari people to rise like a star, rise like a moon, shine like the sun, hold a Peledysh firem in Sernur."****
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The Mari playwright Alexander Fedorovich Konakov played a major role in organizing the first celebration. Yoshkar peledysh payrem conducted the Sernur pedagogical courses, at which he then taught.****
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The date of the holiday was chosen in such a way as to replace the religious holiday Semyk (the day of remembrance of those who died by unnatural death) with a new Soviet one. ****
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The newspaper “Mari Ilysh” (“Mari Life”) wrote that both locals and residents of remote villages were present at the celebration. After the solemn procession, a rally and sports games took place. In the evening, guests were treated to the performance “Ertyshe” based on the play by I.F. Tokmurzin, concert and poetry readings. Also on May 27, a torch was lit in Sernur and carried through the surrounding villages.****
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The holiday received official recognition in 1923. The Mari Regional Executive Committee declared Yoshkar Peledysh Payrem the people's revolutionary day of workers of the Mari Autonomous Region. The date of celebration was set on Thursday - the main day of the national calendar holiday Semyk. Already on May 24, 1923, festive events took place in Krasnokokshaisk - that’s what Yoshkar-Ola was then called. The creative intelligentsia of the Mari region took an active part in the preparation: Sergei Chavain, M. Shketan, Shabdar Osyp, Ivan Klyuchnikov-Palantai, actors of the Mari Mobile Theater.****
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In 1925, Yoshkar Peledysh Pairem took place in one of their sacred groves. According to Mari researcher V. Solovyov, the participants remembered the celebration “in every detail” even 41 years later.****
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In 1930, Yoshkar peledysh payrem was banned. The celebration was resumed only 35 years later. The Bureau of the Mari Regional Committee of the CPSU set the date of the holiday as the 3rd Sunday of June - after the end of spring field work. The word “yoshkar” (“red”) was also removed from the name. Since 1996, the holiday has been celebrated on June 12, which coincided with Russia Day. Peledysh payrem received its own date - the third Saturday of June - only in 2009.****
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To carry out festive events, the Ministry of Culture of Mari El developed a unified form. Peledysh Payrem is divided into two parts: the official part, during which flags are raised and the results of spring field work are summed up, and the entertainment part - with games, concerts and festivities. ****
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In 2024, the Mari national holiday was held at the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia”. More than 5 thousand people became its guests.****
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The Flower Festival – this is how “Peledysh Pairem” is translated from Mari – is quite young. It was celebrated for the first time on May 27, 1920 in Sernur. The idea of creation was voiced at the II provincial congress of nationalities of the Vyatka province. The purpose of the holiday was formulated very poetically: “so that the Mari people would believe in their star, be reborn by the new moon, and shine with the sun.” The newspaper “Mari Ilysh” (“Mari Life”) published an order accompanying recommendations for holding Yoshkar Peledysh Payrem:****
****
“If the future of your people is dear to you; your clothes are white as snow; your mind is quick as lightning; your eyes are bright like stars; the power of Onar is in your body; flexible, like wax, your tongue; Your songs are as beautiful as the chirping of birds; implicit, like the wings of a butterfly, your soul; if you want the Mari people to rise like a star, rise like a moon, shine like the sun, hold a Peledysh firem in Sernur."****
****
The Mari playwright Alexander Fedorovich Konakov played a major role in organizing the first celebration. Yoshkar peledysh payrem conducted the Sernur pedagogical courses, at which he then taught.****
****
The date of the holiday was chosen in such a way as to replace the religious holiday Semyk (the day of remembrance of those who died by unnatural death) with a new Soviet one. ****
****
The newspaper “Mari Ilysh” (“Mari Life”) wrote that both locals and residents of remote villages were present at the celebration. After the solemn procession, a rally and sports games took place. In the evening, guests were treated to the performance “Ertyshe” based on the play by I.F. Tokmurzin, concert and poetry readings. Also on May 27, a torch was lit in Sernur and carried through the surrounding villages.****
****
The holiday received official recognition in 1923. The Mari Regional Executive Committee declared Yoshkar Peledysh Payrem the people's revolutionary day of workers of the Mari Autonomous Region. The date of celebration was set on Thursday - the main day of the national calendar holiday Semyk. Already on May 24, 1923, festive events took place in Krasnokokshaisk - that’s what Yoshkar-Ola was then called. The creative intelligentsia of the Mari region took an active part in the preparation: Sergei Chavain, M. Shketan, Shabdar Osyp, Ivan Klyuchnikov-Palantai, actors of the Mari Mobile Theater.****
****
In 1925, Yoshkar Peledysh Pairem took place in one of their sacred groves. According to Mari researcher V. Solovyov, the participants remembered the celebration “in every detail” even 41 years later.****
****
In 1930, Yoshkar peledysh payrem was banned. The celebration was resumed only 35 years later. The Bureau of the Mari Regional Committee of the CPSU set the date of the holiday as the 3rd Sunday of June - after the end of spring field work. The word “yoshkar” (“red”) was also removed from the name. Since 1996, the holiday has been celebrated on June 12, which coincided with Russia Day. Peledysh payrem received its own date - the third Saturday of June - only in 2009.****
****
To carry out festive events, the Ministry of Culture of Mari El developed a unified form. Peledysh Payrem is divided into two parts: the official part, during which flags are raised and the results of spring field work are summed up, and the entertainment part - with games, concerts and festivities. ****
****
In 2024, the Mari national holiday was held at the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia”. More than 5 thousand people became its guests.****
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