UNCOVERING THE HIDDEN: AN ANALYSIS OF THE STORY OF BURIED TREASURE WHICH IS PART OF FAMILY FOLKLORE

Abstract

The paper considers the narrative of buried treasure Kaldarja ku galbinji lu ajduś which is told and transmitted from generation to generation among the members of the Golubović family from the village of Duboka, and is part of its idioculture. The narrative is analyzed using the theoretical and analytical approach utilized by Zoja Karanović when she studied tales of buried treasure. It is a variant of structural analysis. An attempt is made to identify the unique aspects of the narrative while pointing out the traditional matrix in its basis. The aim of the paper consists of uncovering the basic message conveyed by this story of buried treasure. An attempt is made to discover why the story matters, why it is remembered and told, what situations it is told in, what attitudes the family members harbor towards it etc. In all, those aspects of the story which may convey information about the family itself, its history and identity are analyzed. Characters who are the carriers of special powers and knowledge are identified within the story. Fact and fiction are intertwined in narratives of this kind, and my paper, among other things, offers the chance to view the intricacies of this process.