Iris In Greek mythology, Iris was the Goddess of the Rainbow. She was the daughter of the Titan Thaumas, and the Oceanid nymph Electra. Another name for her was Thaumantias, and she was the sister of the Harpies. She is depicted as a beautiful young woman with wings of various colors, or wearing a robe of bright colors riding on the rainbow and a nimbus (cloud) around her head that reflected the rainbow. She carried a caduceus (herald's staff) and a golden water pitcher. Her personality is said to be gentle and kindly. There is no record that she ever married and had children. She lived on Mount Olympus, and attended Hera as her messenger, and as a servant, drawing her bath, helping her dress, and attending her throne awaiting orders. She also fed the god's horses when they returned to Olympus. In the beginning of the rule of the Olympian gods, she was the only messenger used by Zeus. Eventually Hermes (Mercury) joined in that duty, and they shared it. On earth, she used her pitcher to take water from lakes and streams up to the clouds for rain, so was much praised by farmers who saw the rainbow as her sign. Her pitcher was important in other ways, as well. Whenever a dispute arose among the gods, or if an Olympian lied, Zeus sent her to the Underworld to get a pitcherfull of water from the River Styx, which could put a perjurer to sleep. As a messenger to mortals, she often took the shape of a person known to the ones the message is for. Hera sent her to Hypnos to ask him to fashion a shape resembling Ceyx, so that she could inform Ceyx's wife Alcyone of her husband's death. Another of Iris' duties was to separate souls from their bodies after death. Since the soul exits through the eyes, the colored part is called the iris. Hera sent her to help Queen Dido of Carthage to die by cutting her golden hair, which anchored her soul to her body. She sent messengers to the Greeks during the Trojan War, and informed Menelaus of events between Paris and Helen during his absence. Zeus sent her with a message to King Priam of Troy, telling him to go to the ships with gifts to persuade Achilles to give up the body of Hector. She stopped the hero Jason from killing the Harpies (her sisters) who were attacking a king. She helped the goddess Aphrodite when she was wounded. Although most of her missions were helping others or averting disasters, she carried out her orders to burn the fleet of the Roman hero Aeneas. She visited the dark House of Sleep, where her colors brought light into the darkness for the first time. Ix Chel Ix Chel, the "Lady Rainbow," was the old Moon goddess in Mayan mythology. The Maya people lived around 250 AD in what is now Guatemala and the Yucatan in Mexico. Mayans associated human events with phases of the moon. Ix Chel was depicted as an old woman wearing a skirt with crossed bones, and she had a serpent in her hand. She had an assistant sky serpent, whom they believed carried all of the waters of the heavens in its belly. She is often shown carrying a great jug filled with water, which she overturns to send floods and powerful rainstorms to Earth. Her husband was the benevolent moon god Itzamna. Ix Chel had a kinder side and was worshipped as the protector of weavers and women in childbirth. Ova West African Mother Goddess, sometimes presenting herself in the form of a bull, she is worshipped by the Yoruba, she probably also is the goddess of the rainbow. Further on the goddess of Dance. She was born the daughter of the water goddess Yemanya. Oya made the first element from which the universe exists. She is one of the three river goddesses, who give a name to a river. She personifies the river Niger, the others are Oshun and Oba. Her brother and husband was the god Sjango, who she offered the ruling of thunder and lightning. He once saw her at the river changing into a bull, and she married him to keep him from telling her secret, which he did eventually when he was fed drunk by other women. He hardly escaped death. As the Good Mother, Oya carries a double axe on her head. This is the attribute of Sjango, from whom she stole the secret of storms. With the coming of Christianity Oya, Oshun and Oba were maid Saints. During the time of slavery, her cult was transported to the Americas where she later was worshipped as the goddess of the rainbow Olla in Cuba en Puerto Rico. In Cuba she also is the Virgin Mary. In Brazil she is called Yansa of Yansan, and she was also made a Saint by the name of Barbara. Her holy day is on Wednesday. Barbara also holds aspects of Oyas husband and she is the protector of warriors. In the Haiti Voodoo cult she is known as Maman Brigette or Damballah. Aida Wedo (Haiti) Goddess of the rainbow and fresh water who determines human destiny. Followers offer sacrifices to her before their marriage. Her husband is Damballa, god of rivers and springs, and they both materialize as snakes. Also known as Aida Cuedo, Aido Wedo, Ayida, Ayida Cueddo. |
| The Goddesses of the Rainbow compiled by Robert Teague [revised 5 August 2001] |