In this article, the authors define the state of the contemporary culture of the Ural Mari through the analysis of meaningful values as spiritual orientations of the life of the ethnos. Underlying this work is field research, sociological surveys and analysis of folk texts of the Ural Mari. Mari appeared in the Urals in the XVII century. But even in the 21st century, they retained their traditional values through the vicissitudes of the transformation. Popular religiosity and values of meaning of life including family values and respect for nature positively affected the cultural identity. The authors rely on the concept of Russian researchers working in this field and vein. In this article, instrumental values and basic ones are highlighted as ensuring stability to ethno-cultural development. As a result of the work done, the authors come to the conclusion that the problem of preserving the basic meaningful values in the modern world is a problem of preserving the ethnocultural identity. Summing up what has been said, it can be concluded that the meaningful values of the modern Mari of the Urals, reflecting the inner world of man, the spiritual attitudes of his life activity, everyday life and private life in the conditions of globalization, it is important to preserve the cultural identity of this ethnos.