The colours of the rainbow
so pretty in the sky
are also on the faces
of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
saying how do you do?
they’re really saying “I love you”
-“What a Wonderful World” lyrics
How many of us grew up watching the baby brown eyes on the sepia screen of dreamy Judy Garland, singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on Auntie Em’s farm as tornado clouds gathered? Do you remember the first time you saw an actual rainbow? Maybe a prism made in the Summer sun as you jumped over a sprinkler? Or maybe you’ve hovered over a tropical waterfall and been greeted by this INCREDIBLE NATURAL PHENOMENA via a helicopter. Or maybe your first introduction to rainbows was taught to you in Sunday school.
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and Earth.” Genesis 9:13
Unlike anything on Earth, RAINBOWS HAVE BEEN WORSHIPPED by cultures since the beginning of time in mythology, legends (Leprauchauns), on corporate logos (Apple) and adorned everything (name a little girl that doesn’t own something rainbow colored!) that one can buy. Rainbows are seen as bridges on every continent including Norse, Japanese (now an ACTUAL BRIDGE IN DOWNTOWN TOKYO), Navajo and Maori. Rainbows are also seen as elusive messengers like the Greek “Iris” in the Illiad and “Anuenue”, the Rainbow Maiden, appearing in Hawaiian legends.
The Romans called the Rainbow, Iris, and She was the messenger of the Queen Goddess Hera, linking Heaven and Earth. It is said Iris delivered the deceased females to the afterlife. This was the beginning of IRIS FLOWERS (and all other flowers) being left on gravesites. SHE IS THE SYMBOL OF NEW HOPE AND PROMISE.
Famous Iris’ include Iris Apfel (97 year old fashionista), Iris Apatow (actress), Iris Bell (psychologist and medical researcher) and Iris van Herpen (fashion designer).
The bounteous beauty of rainbows has always been attempted to be expressed by lyricists. The Israel (“Izzy”) Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” plays daily in Hawaiian gift shops. “She’s a Rainbow” by the Rolling Stones is one of my all time favorite songs. Prince had a song and album called “Rainbow Children”. Both Keysha and Sia have recently released songs entitled “Rainbow” in the past year. And let us not forget Kermit the Frog solemnly singing “The Rainbow Connection” from a swamp.
South Africa is called Rainbow Country and Hawaii is called the Land of the Rainbows. The HEALTHIEST FOODS grown on Earth mirror the colors of the rainbow. Groups like Rainbow Warriors, Rainbow Coalition, Rainbow Children, are empowered by that colorful word.
Rainbow flags have been used for centuries. It was a symbol of the Cooperative movement in the German Peasants’ War in the 16th century, of peace in Italy, and of gay pride and LGBT social movements since the 1970s.
There are 6 colors in the rainbow and 6 colors on the rainbow flag, some say there are also actually 6 genders or more of a gradation among the prism of colors. It is with great respect and adoration I present to you our RAINBOW GODDESS MODEL, Libby.
Libby is 9 years old and the oldest of three children. She loves swimming (“especially wearing her mermaid tail”), playing with her Monster High dolls and wants to be a FASHION DESIGNER when she grows up. Libby is also perfectly transgender and an activist and a public speaker. We are SO grateful to her and her family for honoring our project with their courage and beauty. Read more about Libby and her mother here:https://plus.google.com/u/0/107287050579003737566/posts/U2QfFBU7WHC
Special thank you to our Fire Goddess, Brighid, aka Melody Stevens for her time and photography skills and to her consort Stacy for his digital magic. For more on the Goddess Project go to http://freesophia.com or the Free Sophia Facebook page.
“We have the opportunity to build a Rainbow bridge into the Golden Age. But to do this, we must do it together with all the colors of the Rainbow, with all the peoples, all the beings of the world. We who are alive on Earth today are the Rainbow Warriors who face the challenge of building this bridge.” –Brooke Medicine Eagle