The myth entitled The Rainbow Snake is an Australian Aborigine myth that deals with the creation of many objects on earth. The Australian Aborigine culture is based on art and myths. They believe that if you draw, or paint, something that it will ensure that it will happen in the future. The Aborigine people also believe many myths related to the nature of their land and how things came to be what they are today. The myth The Rainbow Snake describes one of these events. Throughout this paper I will discuss what this myth is about and how it relates to several key archetypes.
According to the myth, Chinimin spoke out about his fathers reign. Although the "Lord of All- knew of his complaints, he still felt Chinimin had to be punished. Chinimin fled to the river in hopes of escaping his father's wrath. The river symbolizes the "barrier- between the earth and the spirit world. Gertrude Jobes describes water as "cleansing and spiritual rebirth- (page 1667). In essence the river acts as Chinimin's mother, a place of protection. Chinimin is fearful of his father (the enemy), Chinimin's fear relates to the Oedipal complex, one of the twelve archetypes. The Oedipal complex is when young boys develop hatred towards their father so they can marry their mother. The father becomes the first enemy, therefore leading Chinimin to speak out about his father's reign. Chinimin's fear also relates to the birth trauma. "Fear is the first experience of the fetus in the womb- (Campbell, page 52). Chinimin's escaping through the river represents coming through the birth canal and out of the amniotic fluid. The river being the "barrier- or the womb and the water, "restores life and youth- (Jobes page1341, 1667). Chimimin made it as far as the river where he was met by his father and drug back to the shore by a swarm of bees. The bees represent "obedience and immortality- (Jobes, page193).