Personal Branding

In Slavic culture and mythology, the Maple is a sacred tree.

Legend says that the souls of the deceased enter Maple trees to wait for rebirth. This is why, according to Old Slavs, Maple has five-fingered leaves, just like humans.

In the tradition of South Slavs, caskets were made out of Maple to facilitate the soul’s journey to the other world. It’s also what “gusle” - Serbia’s national instrument - is made out of to this day. 

This here is a Field Maple. It’s special to me because the furthest place to which I’m able to trace back my family history got its name from it. It’s called “Kljenak”, from “Kljen”, Serbian for Field Maple, and my ancestors lived there during the XVI and XVII century.