What rainbows mean around the world

Ireland

In Ireland, it rains a lot and there isn’t much sun. But sometimes, when the sun comes out after the rain, you can see pretty colours in the sky–that’s a rainbow. Old stories say that a leprechaun, a small magical man, hides his pot full of gold at the end of the rainbow. You must follow the rainbow to find the gold, but it’s very hard. In Irish culture, if you see a rainbow, good things will happen. 

Hawaii

Hawaii is called the rainbow capital of the world. It has more rainbows than most places because it rains lightly and the sun shines often.  In Native Hawaiian culture, rainbows are messages from the gods and help the spirits of dead people travel from the human world to another world. In Hawaii, a rainbow reminds people they are not alone because someone always looks after them.

Africa

In some African cultures, a rainbow may be a spirit that looks like a snake, bringing good or bad luck, depending on how it feels. For this reason, many people think that a rainbow is a message that something important is going to happen soon.

Australia

In Aboriginal stories, there’s a powerful snake called the Rainbow Serpent that lives in water, and it’s older than people. It created rivers, mountains, and lakes. If people respect nature, the snake is kind, but iff they don’t, it may bring storms or floods. For Aboriginal people, the rainbow helps us remember that we must respect nature.

Scandinavia

In the north of Europe, old stories say that the rainbow is a bridge between our world and Asgard, the home of the gods like Odin and Thor. Only gods and the bravest people can walk across it. The guardian at the beginning of the bridge stops bad people from entering Asgard.