10 EL ARBOL (The Tree) / Mother Tree by artist Ulla Anobile

Paper mache, acrylics, 7 3/4 x 10” 

Also shown here is the original Don Clemente Gallo card for EL ARBOL.

*Even today, a Finnish house or farm usually has a single tree left standing in the yard: ’pihapuu’ (yard tree). A few friends have told me they regularly talk to this ‘mother tree’, telling it their worries, sharing with it their thoughts and ponderings, informing it of their joys and their family news.

*Not everyone knows, or remembers, the origins of this ancient tradition. Still, the spiritual connection between humans and trees, shared by many cultures, must be deeply embedded in our psyches.

*In my native Finland, the yard tree was called ‘pitämyspuu’. It was felt to be a manifestation of a spirit connecting the inhabitants of a farmstead to the ancestors, thus a recipient of regular sacrificial offerings.

*Ultimately, the spirit of this special tree can be seen - and felt - as a conduit to Mother Earth, the ultimate provider for all.

*These were some of the thoughts swirling in my mind when I was creating my Mother Tree piece.


Riddle associated with this image:

El que a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija.
He who butts up against a good tree will have good shade to shield him.