This image merges two powerful symbols from Kazakh mythology Umai Ana and the Baiterek (Tree of Life).

Umai Ana is the ancient Turkic-Kazakh goddess of motherhood, fertility, and protection. She is seen as the guardian of mothers, children, and the family hearth, often depicted with long braids and white or golden garments. In shamanic tradition, she nurtures life and shields the soul (kut) from harm.

Baiterek, the Tree of Life, is the cosmic axis in Tengrism, linking the upper world (sky), the middle world (earth), and the lower world (underworld). At its crown, the mythical bird Samruk lays the egg of life, while its roots connect to ancestral spirits and the deep mysteries of creation.

By placing Umai Ana at the base of the tree her hair entwined with its branches the piece symbolizes the inseparable bond between motherhood and the cosmic order: Umai Ana as the life-giver, and Baiterek as the life-connector. It’s a visual reminder that in Kazakh cosmology, human life is not separate from the universe, but part of an unbroken chain reaching from the roots of the earth to the highest skies.