The Rainbow Serpent:
Far off in Dreamtime, there were only people, no animals or birds, no trees or bushes, no hills or mountains. The country was flat. Goorialla, the great Rainbow Serpent, stirred and set off to look for his own tribe. He travelled across Australia from South to North. He reached Cape York where he stopped and made a big red mountain called Naralullgan. He listened to the wind and heard only voices speaking strange languages. This is not my country, the people here speak a different tongue. I must look for my own people. Goorialla left Naralullgan and his huge body made a deep gorge where he came down. He travelled North for many days and his tracks made the creeks and rivers as he journeyed North. Goorialla made two more mountains, one of the Naradunga was long made of granite, the other had sharp peaks and five caves and was called, Minalinha. One day Goorialla heard singing and said, "Those are my people, they are holding a big Bora." At the meeting place of the two rivers, Goorialla found his own people singing and dancing. He watched for a long time, then he came out and was welcomed by his people. He showed the men how to dress properly and taught them to dance. A big storm was gathering, so all the people built humpies for shelter. Two young men, the bil-bil or Rainbow Lorikeet brothers came looking for shelter but no one had any room. They asked their grandmother, the Star Woman but she had too many dogs and couldn't help them. the Bil-bil brothers went to Goorialla who was snoring in his humpy but he had no room. The rain got heavier and the boys went back to Goorialla and called out that the rain was heavy. Goorialla said, "All right come in now." The Bil-bil bothers ran into Goorialla's mouth and he swallowed them. Then he began to worry about what the people would say when they found the boys missing. He decided to travel North to Bora-bunaru, the only great natural mountain in the land. Next morning the people found that the boys were gone and saw the tracks of Goorialla and knew that he had swallowed them. You may never see these lakes or mountains, but after the rain you will see his spirit in the sky , which is the rainbow. This is the reason why he is called Goorialla the Rainbow Serpent. |
In the sacred text, The
Rainbow Serpent, one of many dreamtime stories “the other” or “spirit” is represented
through the spirit, environment and Goorialla. The spirit represents “the other”
as the spirit is always around everything and everyone. In this story the
spirit was carried by Goorialla and because of this the spirit which was released
across Australia. “You may never see these lakes or
mountains, but after the rain you will see his spirit in the sky, which is the
rainbow. This is the reason why he is called Goorialla the Rainbow Serpent.” It’s also represented in the spirit as no matter what
or where you are you will always be able to see or feel the spirit of “the
other” even in times of doubt it shall rise. This leads to “the other” being
represented through the environment such as lakes and mountains. This is
because it relates to the culture of some aboriginal people and the dreamtimes
creature responsible for the creation of these major rives, waterways and
mountains across Australia. Finally, the aboriginal “spirit” or “other” is
represented through the Goorialla, the Rainbow Serpent as it created the
universe and the people. The Rainbow Serpent represents “spirit” or “the other”
as it’s in the aboriginal beliefs that it’s their creator and provider of their
land, always shining in the sky (in the sense of this story, shining through a
rainbow.)
Dick Roughsey was the author of Rainbow Serpent. The creation myths of the Rainbow Serpent can be traced back in rock art at least 6000 years. The word serpent was traditionally used in a specifically religious or mythic context that signifies a snake to be regarded not as mundane natural phenomenon, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value. The serpent is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. It is an extremely important religious and “social symbol which is respected by the Maya. It can be described in the Mayan mythology as being the vehicles by which celestial bodies, such as the sun and stars, cross the heavens. The shredding of their skin made them a symbol of the rebirth and renewal. There are countless stories and names that are now associated with the serpent across the globe, but all of which communicate and add to the significance, pride and power of this being within global and Aboriginal traditions. This is an illustration of the Rainbow Serpent spread out all over the map of Australia but in Aboriginal artwork. This image represents the sacred text, The Rainbow Serpent, as it provided Australia with what it has today, hence why the rainbow serpent it all over Australia. |