Maavalla Koda
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2012) |
Estonian native religions | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
Membership | 1058 (in 2000)[1] |
Key people | Council of Elders |
| Website | http://www.maavald.ee/eng/ |
Maavalla Koda (literally House of the Native Land, short for Taarausuliste ja Maausuliste Maavalla Koda, Estonian House for Taaraist and Native Religion Followers)Estonian native religion or Estonian Neopaganism: Taaraism and Maausk.[1]
Maavalla Koda was registered as a union of religious associations (koguduste liit) in
the south of Estonia), Härjapea Koda (with members from the north of the country), and Tartu Supilinna Koda (formed in the university town of Tartu). Later, Tartu Supilinna Koda has been renamed Emajõe Koda (after the river Emajõgi), and the newer association of Maausk adherents of the island Saaremaa
, Maausuliste Saarepealne Koda, has been admitted to Maavalla Koda.
On the Estonian military
dog tag (identifier), adherents of Taarausk and Maausk are identified with the abbreviation EST. A runic calendar noting festivals of the Estonian traditional religion is published annually by Maavalla Koda. The current focus of activity of Maavalla Koda is on traditional natural sacred sites in Estonia, with the aim of mapping and doing folkloristic research in order to preserve and perpetuate the local traditions relating to these. Along with the University of Tartu
, Maavalla Koda co-operates in a government programme initiated to ensure the documentation and protection of natural sacred sites in Estonia.
Management
Maavalla Koda is run by a board of three members – an Elder (vanem), a Warden (vardja), and a Secretary (kirjutaja). The board is elected by the Assembly of Maavalla Koda comprising representatives of local associations.
Elders of Maavalla Koda
Uralic Communion
In 2001, Maavalla Koda was one of the founders of an umbrella organisation, the
Uralic Communion, founded in order to facilitate co-operation among adherents of Uralic
native religions.
Other founders of the Uralic Communion included
- the Mari native religion organisation Oshmari – Chimari,
- Mari native religion,
- Erzya native religion celebration Ras'ken' Ozks, and
- the Association of Finnish Native Religion.[3]
References
- ^ a b Ahto Kaasik. Old Estonian Religion Archived 2011-08-11 at the Wayback Machine. Maavalla Koda.
- ^ Maavalla Koda Characteristics and Aims
- ^ Declaration of the Uralic Communion
