The main Māori legend about the rainbow centers on Uenuku, the atua (god) of rainbows, who was a powerful ancestor and sometimes a war god; the rainbow often appears as a bridge for spirits or a sign of his presence, particularly linked to his lost love, the mist maiden Hine-pūkohurangi, whom he eventually joined in the sky, becoming the rainbow itself. When you see a rainbow, it signifies Uenuku's reconciliation and presence, sometimes acting as a bridge to the heavens or a symbol for warriors.
Uenuku means rainbow in Māori and also refers to the name of an atua (deity) often associated with the rainbow 🌈 We can't get enough of the colours in our galleries every day!
Uenuku (or Uenuku-Kōpako, also given to some who are named after him) is an atua of rainbows and a prominent ancestor in Māori tradition. Māori believed that the rainbow's appearance represented an omen, and one kind of yearly offering made to him was that of the young leaves of the first planted kūmara crop.
Our Favourite Māori Legends and Myths
In Greek and Roman mythology, Iris the goddess of the rainbow was one of the messengers of the gods. A rainbow is a bridge used by soul boats in Indonesia. The Arabs and the Bantu people of Africa believe the rainbow to be a divine bow for firing arrows.
An old Romanian folktale claimed that the end of a rainbow stood in a river, anyone creeping in on hands and knees for a drink of the rainbow-touched water would be changed instantly to the opposite sex. A similar tale claimed that anyone passing beneath a rainbow's arch would be changed into the opposite sex.
The 🌈 (rainbow) emoji is used to signify feelings like happiness, good luck, harmony, and unity. It can also be used to acknowledge beautiful weather outside, or to symbolize one's attachment to the LGBTQ+ movement (since the LGBTQ+ pride flag features a rainbow).
For instance, Maero is an evil fairy inhabiting forests in the South Island of New Zealand. Patupaiarehe are hilltop-living spiritual or otherworldly beings resembling humans in appearance. Turehu are pale-skinned ghostly people living in woodland areas.
Taniwha - in Māori mythology, a taniwha is a being that lives in 'deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers'.
Io Matua Kore, the supreme being; personification of light and the world of the living and the forest. Kahukura, a war god who appears as the upper bow of a double rainbow. Kiwa, one of several divine guardians of the ocean.
Takatāpui: Over the Rainbow.
The best one among them is Reo Ora!
In Māori mythology, as in other Polynesian traditions, Māui is a culture hero, demigod and a trickster, famous for his exploits and cleverness. He possessed superhuman strength, and was capable of shapeshifting into animals such as birds and worms.
The rainbow is more than just a natural phenomenon; it is a timeless symbol of hope, connection, and spiritual growth. Across cultures and spiritual traditions, the rainbow represents a bridge between the earthly and the divine, a promise of renewal, and a reminder that beauty often emerges after life's storms.
1. (verb) to be bleeding. Ka motokia ake ki tana ihu, ka toto te ihu (W 1971:441). / When he was punched in the nose, it bled.
Synonyms of this sense include multicolored (or multicolor), kaleidoscopic, and prismatic. Kaleidoscopic suggests something full of bright colors in a way that's reminiscent of the images seen when looking through a kaleidoscope. Prismatic is a reference to the rainbow-colored when light shines through a prism.
Māori people originated from Polynesian voyagers who arrived in New Zealand (Aotearoa) in a series of epic canoe journeys from a mythical homeland called Hawaiki, believed to be in East Polynesia (like Tahiti), starting around the 13th or 14th centuries. These skilled navigators used stars, currents, and winds to reach the islands, developing a distinct culture over centuries of isolation, with oral traditions naming great explorers like Kupe as early discoverers.
The wetland has substantial cultural significance and since 1997, Pekapeka Wetland has had waahi tapu status under the Historic Places Act 1993. Pekapeka is thought to be named after the bats that inhabited nearby caves as pekapeka is Māori for 'bat'.
Noa is the opposite of Tapu and refers to ordinary, everyday things such as food or alcohol. Those two should be kept separated. That's why you should avoid sitting on pillows and touching or passing food over a person's head, since it's considered very sacred by Māori people.
Our top 8 Māori stories and legends
In Māori tradition patupaiarehe, also known as tūrehu and pakepakehā, were fairy-like creatures of the forests and mountain tops. Although they had some human attributes, patupaiarehe were regarded not as people but as supernatural beings (he iwi atua).
👉👈 — Shy, nervous (usually in the context of flirting) 🧿 — Represents warding off the “evil eye”
The heart emojis ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤 represent different shades of love, support, and emotion, with each color conveying a unique sentiment: ❤️ for classic love/romance, 🧡 for care/support, 💛 for friendship/happiness, 💚 for nature/jealousy/wellness, 💙 for trust/peace/bromance, 💜 for compassion/admiration, and 🖤 for sorrow/gothic vibes. They allow for nuanced expression beyond simple affection.
In the years since, the flag now has six colors. It no longer has a pink stripe, and the turquoise and indigo stripes were replaced with royal blue. Created in 2018 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar, the Progress Pride flag is based on the iconic 1978 rainbow flag.