California Studies
Feb 28 2024 - Rainbow Bridges - Home
Rainbow Bridges is an adaptation of Chumash myth based in the Channel Islands.
Long ago, Mother Nature lived all by herself in a far, far away place. She was the queen of the earth, the sky, and the sea, but she felt lonely. She thought the earth needed more friends, so she decided to create little humans. She took a handful of earth, mixed it with water, and shaped it into tiny beings. She breathed life into them, and thus, humans were born on a tiny island.
The humans were curious and playful. They laughed, danced, and filled the island with joy. They grew and multiplied, and soon, the tiny island was bustling with life. But as the humans grew, so did their noise. They were so loud that it reached the far corners of the earth, disturbing the peace of Mother Nature’s quiet home.
Mother Nature was unhappy. She loved her little humans, but their constant noise was too much for her. She needed to find a solution. So, she thought and thought until an idea came to her. After a heavy rain, when the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly, she used her powers to create beautiful, bright rainbow bridges.
These rainbow bridges stretched from the tiny island to other islands that were scattered across the vast ocean. Mother Nature called the humans and showed them the rainbow bridges. She told them, “These bridges are my gift to you. Follow them, and they will lead you to new homes.”
The humans were amazed by the beautiful rainbow bridges. They thanked Mother Nature and started crossing the bridges. They found new islands, each one unique and beautiful. Some islands had tall mountains, others had dense forests, and some had wide rivers. The humans made new homes on these islands, and their noise spread out, making it more bearable for Mother Nature.
As the humans explored and settled on the new islands, they learned to live in harmony with nature. They took care of the earth, the sky, and the sea, just as Mother Nature had taken care of them. And even though they were far away from their original home, they never forgot the tiny island where they were born, or the beautiful rainbow bridges that had led them to their new homes.
And so, Mother Nature’s world became a much happier place. She could once again enjoy her peace and quiet, and the humans had plenty of space to grow and thrive. From then on, whenever it rained, the humans would look up at the sky, waiting for a rainbow to appear, reminding them of Mother Nature’s love and the wonderful journey they had embarked on.
Questions
What do you think the genre of this story is?
Where do you think the humans moved to after crossing the bridges?
What do you think this myth relates to in real life?