The mythology of the Rainbow serpent is found throughout Australia, especially in the north, although much religious lore of the Serpent is a closely guarded secret.
The Rainbow Serpent is depicted in rock paintings dating back 6000 years or more. In different traditions the serpent can be either male or female, and has many names.
It is both a creator and a destroyer. In the beginning, the rainbow serpent emerged from beneath the earth and travelled across the land, shaping the flat earth with it’s gigantic body. The Rainbow Serpent gave all living creatures this new environment, and established laws for the people, giving order to society, and punishing transgression, often though natural disasters. The Rainbow serpent also preserves the natural world, and is the source of fertility, and is believed to reside deep underwater.
