Maarja ja Maarjamaa - ambivalentne diskursus Eesti kultuuriruumis
St Mary and St Mary´s Land - Ambivalent Discourse in the Estonian Cultural Space

Summary/Abstract: St Mary (Maarja) and St Mary´s Land (Maarjamaa) play an important role in one way or another as ambivalent examples of cultural and religious syncretism. Estonians, on the one hand, consider themselves to be a relatively non-Christian (non-religious) nation or country. On the other hand, the insignia of St Mary´s is used for important national badges of honour, to represent various local identities (e.g parish insignia), to construct a visual identity (e.g “St Mary´s Land” calendars illustrated using photos), in patriotic songs and stem texts, and in other contemporary celebrations of traditional calendar holidays etc. The author provides a short overview of the discourse about St Mary and St Mary´s Land using examples of the development of the names for Estonia and St Mary´s Land, places related to St Mary, traditional and clerical St Mary’ Days, plants named after Mary and national badges of honour etc.

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