Psycho-social and archetypal analysis of legends compiled from Bitlis

Deep meaning systems, which are derived from mythical thought, display themselves in oral culture products. These products, which contain the vital codes of human beings, carry the mythical view of life to the future. In particular, legends are one of the preliminary species shaped by the human effort to find resource / basis against the unknown. Societies that aim to form their existence on solid foundations try to shape their experiences, attitudes and behaviours. At this stage, legends assume the mission of bridging the past and the future with their vital codes, philosophical structure and cultural values. Legends in the syntagmatic axis have a system of actions such as the preservation of natural treatment centres, such as shrine and tomb, and the psychological relaxation of society. In the paradigmatic axis, it is seen that legends are reflections of religious, historical and religious background culture. With this aspect, legends have a network of meanings that are open to different and various kinds of interpretations. Myths not only allow us to follow the traces of the personal subconscious but also to convey the codes of the collective unconscious to the image level through archetypal symbols. In this context, legends contain a system of values ranging from individual to society and from local to universal. It is possible to see the reflections of legends on the visible plane as a system of practical actions of the relationships that human beings acquire with their environment. However, the universal codes of legends are hidden in implicit meaning systems. Psycho-social analysis of legends provides the revelation of the underlying causes of the visible plane and the Archetypal analysis sustains the exposure of the universal codes. Bitlis, located in the Eastern Anatolia region, has historically been home to different civilizations due to its location on the crossing roads. Therefore, the city The city possesses rich culture because of this condition. Local legends, especially from the mythic period, constitute an important part of the cultural wealth. In our study, local legends that are the culmination of social experience were compiled and recorded as a result of field studies. Thus, the myths of Bitlis, which are in danger of disappearing within the oral culture tradition, were recorded and immortalized and tried to be brought into cultural heritage. The collected legends are classified under eight main headings: formation, transformation, elements of nature, animals, religion, history, names of settlements and extraordinary entities. The myths that are classified are not one-dimensional, but psycho-social and archetypically multifaceted and tried to be presented to social access. The myths of Bitlis covered in the study were analysed under the titles self, Shadow, anima and animus, inner self, persona, hero, rebel, Mother, Orphan, traveller, victim, innocent and deceitful archetypes. The legends narrated in the region, the product of thousands of years of accumulation of traditions and customs, embalm the folk beliefs and values in the cultural memory. Legends thus serve as a natural resource in education and in the development of social consciousness. Moreover, Bitlis legends contribute to the cultural tourism of the region by being introduced through media and advertisements. In the cultural background of Bitlis' legends, it is possible to see the traces of old Turkish faith, Shamanism and Islamic beliefs. Besides, mythic values related to the cult of ancestors, the cult of trees, the cult of animals, the cult of mountains, the cult of water, the cult of stone, the cult of fire, the cult of earth and the cult of caves are reflected when the legend texts are examined in vertical axis. In particular, the relationship of Bitlis' legends with Turkish culture, and in general, their connection with universal value codes were analysed. As a result, we believe that our work can increase the cultural tourism potential of Bitlis, be used as a pedagogical tool in terms of values education and contribute to the adoption of national and spiritual values by younger generations. Keywords: Bitlis, Myth, Archetype, Psycho-Social, Culture, Cult