Storytelling and mythology are as old as humanity. According to some scholars the role of myths is “to unify the groups, tribes, nations or other entities where they are being told around certain ...common ideas, values and orientations” (Stugu 2003). Nations, in particular, need a unifying element, which they usually find in mythology, where the character of the hero often embodies desirable characteristics of the nation. Since mythology knew no boundaries until “the birth” of nation-states, some heroes are shared by more than one nation. One such hero is Petar Klepac (in Croatian)/Peter Klepec (in Slovenian)/ Pitr Kljepc (in local dialects), a hero of the Kupa and Čabranka Valley in the Slovenian- Croatian border region, who still appears in the local narrative tradition. He is a mighty hero with a “dual citizenship” and hero legends about him are part of the heterogeneous intangible heritage of the valley. The subject of this article is the strength of this folklore hero, manifestations of his strength in the border region, as well as, more broadly, in the folklore and literary heritage throughout the territories of both countries, his diverse roles in the creation and mobilization of identities and in tourism promotion.
Pričanje priča i mitologija stari su kao i čovječanstvo. Neki smatraju da je uloga mitova “ujediniti skupine, plemena, nacije ili druge entitete, gdje se uspostavljaju oko nekih zajedničkih ideja, ...vrijednosti i opredjeljenja” (Stugu 2003). Takav ujedinjujući element naročito je potreban nacijama, koje ga obično nalaze u mitovima gdje lik junaka često utjelovljuje poželjne nacionalne značajke. Budući da mitovi prije rođenja nacionalnih država nisu poznavali granice, neki su junaci zajednički za više nacija. Primjer takvog junaka jest i hrvatski Petar Klepac/slovenski Peter Klepec/dijalektalno Pitr Kljepc, junak iz Kupsko-čabarske doline na granici između Hrvatske i Slovenije, koji još uvijek živi u suvremenim lokalnim usmenim predajama. Riječ je o snažnom junaku s “dvije domovine”, a predaje o njemu dio su heterogene nematerijalne baštine u dolini. Ovaj se rad bavi snagom tog narodnog junaka, te manifestacijama njegove snage u pograničnom području i šire, u narodnoj predaji i zapisima na čitavom teritoriju dviju zemalja, u njegovim različitim ulogama pri stvaranju i mobilizaciji identiteta te u turističkoj promidžbi.
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