ABSTRACT
BRANDING in American folklife is the practice of using a preshaped iron or stamp to burn a symbol or design onto any surface. Popular use of the term favors the notion of burning the flesh of an animal or human for permanent identification. Historically, branding has been associated with the idea of ownership, such as its use on cattle and slaves, or with the idea of corporal punishment. Although these associations are still current, in contemporary use the term also refers to the voluntary practice of burning images onto the human body. In popular culture, the term “branding” can carry a different meaning: creating commercial value by building recognition of a manufacturer or product name. The latter use derives from the first, drawing upon the notion of an indelible symbol that indicates a connection among all who bear it.
