The Māori of New Zealand pay homage to many ancient legends and stories that explain their beginnings, their ancestors, their deep connection with Papatūānuku (Mother Earth), and their relationship with Io-Matua-Kore, God-the-Parentless, the supreme spiritual power.

The Three Baskets of Knowledge is the story of Tāne, the god of forests and of birds, and the son of Ranginui and Papatūanuku, the sky father and the earth mother. Tāne was called to make the journey and ascend through the many realms to the uppermost realm, occupied only by Io-Matua-Kore, in order to obtain the three baskets of knowledge (of upper realms, the rainbow, and spiritual powers) and bring them back to Earth for the benefit of all humankind.

The rainbow as a bridge between realms, and as a sign of hope and inspiration for the world, is found in countless legends and stories of the indigenous cultures. Many believe that under the symbol of the rainbow, humanity will come into balance with one another and the Earth to experience the Golden Age.

There is an ancient theme that runs through many American Native legends that warns of the devastation the European white man would bring to the land. However, the myths also promise that when the devastation was at its worst, spiritually aligned souls among peoples of all colors, peoples of the rainbow, would feel a calling of spirit and come together to bring life back into proper balance.

These souls, who would do no violence and would work to end violence, would be called the Rainbow Warriors. The time of the Rainbow Warriors has come.

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“When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear; when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them.” ~ Chief Seattle (Seathl), Du-wamish-Suquamish, 1785-1866

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This post is excerpted from Our Beautiful Earth. A free PDF version is available when you subscribe here for occasional author newsletters. The full PDF version with more of my personal art (same text), with a bonus EPUB format is available for $2.99 here.

Thank you for reading! 🙂