The book is the second, supplemented edition of a collective monograph published in 2005 under the same title. It examines the history, economy, material and spiritual culture of the Mari people. The focus is on the most important issues of Mari ethnic and cultural development. The new edition has been significantly expanded and supplemented by the results of ethnographic research by MarNIIYALI scientists in recent years, especially in terms of studying the modern culture and life of the Mari, with the involvement of rich illustrative material.