Serbian Oral Tradition in an Intercultural Code

Oral tradition is an exceptionally complex segment of the history, customs and life of the Serbian people, on account of the fact that it not only represents the oldest form of expressing its world-view but also constitutes an active element of traditional culture, of the complex mechanism of “historical memory” and of specific ways developing poetic language. Within the framework of established oral genres, the layers of tradition, ranging from pagan and Christianised elements, through ethical norms, rituals, to the historical circumstances in which oral creators composed variants in keeping with the demands, expectations and norms of the collective, were reflected and stylised in various ways. These dynamic flows did not remain isolated from the broader social and cultural context. Diverse connections were established between oral genres and types, also contributing to the intertwining of the folklore of the indigenous inhabitants with that of newcomers or the neighbouring peoples, and also on the level of overlapping of oral and written texts in all epochs and stylistic formations. Work on the project Serbian Oral Tradition in an Intercultural Code encompasses studying the history and poetics of Serbian oral literature, the intercultural connections of Serbian oral tradition with other countries in the region, the position of Serbian folklore within a Balkan and European framework, and the transposition of oral literature into various forms of artistic manifestation.