A necessidade humana de expressar ideias através de símbolos externos e materiais

“Tree symbolism, it might be argued, reflects the human urge to express ideas through external and material signs, no matter what these signs might be (Durkheim, 1915). Anticipating some of the recent theories developed within material culture studies, Emile Durkheim remarks that Australian Aborigines carve, tatoo or paint their totems out of the need to represent the idea they form of their totems. This desire ‘to translate thought into matter’ leads him to reflect on the relevance of externalisation, materialisation and physicality for social theory and to conclude that ‘a collective sentiment can become conscious of itself only by being fixed upon some material object’ (Durkheim, 1915)”

(páginas 1 e 2)

RIVAL, Laura, “Trees, from symbols of life and regeneration to political artifacts”

In: RIVAL, Laura (Org.)

(1998) The social life of trees – anthropological perspectives on tree symbolism. Oxford:Berg.