The Gorani Wedding Ritual – Between Individual and Collective Memory

Abstract

In this paper I will attempt to determine which contents are present in individual memories of weddings and underline the contents which contribute to the formation of commonplace memories within personal memories. By studying individual personal memories of a ritual practice, I will attempt to answer questions about the relationship between individual and collective memory. In the paper I will also consider the issue of the influence of individual memories on the construction of ethnic identity. The paper is based on an analysis of narrative discourse which has been adapted for ethnographic research. The Gorani wedding ritual represents a social practice which encompasses not only the influence of collective on personal remembrance and memory, but also the reverse. The Gorani wedding ritual is an example of a social holiday which, on a personal level creates a feeling of connection between individuals and their community, while on a collective level it creates conditions for the continuity of the Gorani community.