Rainbow Serpent

What it is

The Rainbow Serpent is a powerful ancestral being in Aboriginal Australian cultures. It is often viewed as a creator god who formed the land and established diversity for its people. While it provides life through water, it can also bring chaos if disturbed. The serpent is linked to the Dreaming, the Aboriginal worldview of creation and law. It is not always depicted as a snake; some stories describe it as a bat or other animal, though it remains an animal form rather than human. Its gender varies across regions, appearing as male, female, or ambiguous.

Where it comes from

The concept has existed within Aboriginal cultures for a very long time. The specific English name 'Rainbow Serpent' was introduced to the wider world by anthropologists. Alfred Radcliffe-Brown is credited with coining the term after noticing similar myths across different groups. Charles P. Mountford later referred to them as 'rainbow serpent myths'. Some scholars suggest that the serpent's status as the primary creator god may be largely a construction by non-Aboriginal researchers rather than a universal indigenous view.

Tools and materials

Rituals involving the Rainbow Serpent sometimes use rainbow quartz crystals and mother of pearl seashells. These materials are associated with the serpent because they diffract light into spectral colors. Quartz acts as a prism, while mother of pearl exhibits iridescence. These items connect the physical world to the spiritual power of the serpent, which is said to inhabit waterholes where light creates rainbows.

What it is for

The serpent is believed to control water, the most precious resource in Australia. It replenishes water stores and forms gullies as it moves. Without the serpent, rain would not fall and the earth would dry up. It is also seen as a healer and a symbol of fertility, sometimes linked to human blood and the menstrual cycle. In some stories, it teaches sacred rituals to people after regurgitating them.

Peoples and places

The serpent is known by many names among different Aboriginal peoples. The Murngin call it Yurlunggur. The Galpu clan depicts Wititj in bark paintings. Queensland groups know it as Kanmare or Tulloun. The Noongar people refer to it as Wagyl. Stories vary by environment; monsoonal areas depict interactions with sun and wind, while desert stories reflect less seasonal change. It is a central figure across much of Australia, particularly in Western Australia and Arnhem Land.

What people believe

The Rainbow Serpent is part of the Dreaming, a system of beliefs about creation and law. It emerged from beneath the ground to create ridges, mountains, and gorges. It inhabits deep permanent waterholes. When angry, it causes thunder, lightning, and storms. It punishes lawbreakers by turning them to stone or humans. It is associated with the wet season, bringing rains and floods. Some stories link it to the bunyip, a fearful water-dwelling creature.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Anthropologists like Kenneth Maddock and Alfred Radcliffe-Brown studied the serpent. Radcliffe-Brown argued the myth was widespread and possibly universal across Australia. Mountford preferred the plural 'myths' to acknowledge variations. Scholars note that the serpent's position as the top creator god might be influenced by external academic framing. Researchers also observe links between the serpent and other animals like crocodiles or dingos in different regional stories.

Compare and confuse

The Rainbow Serpent is sometimes confused with or related to other water spirits. It shares traits with the bunyip, a creature feared in Australian mythology. In some tales, it rivals a large fruit bat over a woman. Other creatures like birds or lizards take on the serpent's role in certain stories. All these beings are connected to water. The serpent is distinct from the unyielding sun, representing the changing, replenishing forces of nature.

Today

The Rainbow Serpent remains a vital part of Aboriginal culture and identity. It appears in contemporary art, including rock art and modern paintings. The Rainbow Serpent Festival in Victoria celebrates music, arts, and culture inspired by this tradition. Documentaries and children's books continue to share these stories, ensuring their transmission to new generations.

Questions people ask about Rainbow Serpent

Good reading and sources

• EducationNational Geographic, Article

• Rainbow Serpent on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data