Tribes of the Rainbow

THE STORY OF Mamak and Inak Bongsu and their seven children brings to mind a rainbow myth of the Zuni tribe of New Mexico. Introduced to the attention of the English-speaking world in 1888 by the controversial founder of Theosophy, H.P. Blavatsky, this Zuni legend was subsequently retold by Paedric Column in his 1930 book, Myths of the World: 

Among the Zuni people there is a god of the dawn and the evening called Paiyatuma, who is a talented flute player. Once upon a time, Paiyatuma brought to the Earth seven maidens decorated with feathers and magic wands, and he introduced them to our grandparents singing this chant:

The corn that you see, growing, rising,

Is the present of my seven bright maidens.

Never forget to feed and nourish them

And do never try to change their presents and offerings.

They represent the fertility of flesh in all human beings,

They carry the children of humanity.

Do never forget them or lose them,

You'll never find them again.

(from Rainbow Nation Without Borders by Alberto Ruz Buenfil, Bear & Co, 1991)

According to Zuni tradition, Paiyatuma gave their ancestors seven corn (maize) plants, each a different color. The Zuni elders expressed their gratitude for the seven maidens' gift of their flesh essence, which was to become the staple diet of the tribe. This gift was presented during an all-night ceremony in which “the seven maidens danced to the beat of drums and rattles” and to the chants of the Zuni elders. Each maiden danced with her corn plant, infusing it with her celestial spirit, so that when planted in the ground its seeds would always seek the sky. At dawn the seven maidens (or kachinas) discarded their feathers and wands and white robes, and emerged from their sacred space to mingle and dance with the people.  

From here on the tale gets a little complicated. One day, the medicine keepers and spiritual messengers of the Zuni heard an otherworldly music emanating from the top of Thunder Mountain. Following its irresistible call, they found themselves at the Rainbow Cave, where they beheld Paiyatuma playing his flute, accompanied by seven celestial maidens, who were also playing and dancing with their seven flutes. Totally enchanted by the glorious spectacle, the messengers urged Paiyatuma to return to Earth with these heavenly maidens. Paiyatuma explained: “These maidens are the same as yours, in the same way that the seven stars reflected in the lake are the same seven stars that you see in the sky. The only difference is that your seven maidens carry the seeds of corn, and these maidens carry only the water that allows your seeds to germinate.”

The tale winds on like a serpent, ending with a reprise of the rainbow corn ceremony with Paiyatuma and the seven musical sky maidens. Once more, they disappear after the chanting and all-night dancing, leaving the Zuni with instructions for seven human priestesses to preside over the annual corn dance. 

The myth doesn't explain why Paiyatuma became utterly displeased with the Zuni. His final statement sounds rather grim: “The rainbow maidens dressed in white will never return, because you humans have broken the contract that we had at the beginning of time.” 

But this is why even today the Zuni look upon corn seeds as sacred. When they plant the seeds, the whole village performs a ritual, mourning the departure of a dearly beloved one, and praying for her resurrection as a divine stalk of corn.

NOW A TEMUAN ELDER would have little trouble understanding the Zuni rainbow corn myth. Every fruit, every herb, root, and shoot, every boulder, every stream, every mountain, every bird and fish, every worm and insect, every single grain of sand is imbued with the essence of a sky goddess (Dewi) or princess (Tuan puteri) - and therefore must be honored as a sacred gift from Tuhan (God). Complex tales abound wherein divine beings “shapeshifted” themselves into a rainbow spectrum of edible or useful gifts. This is especially true of any grain or fruit that forms the tribe's staple diet.

To the Temuan, the amazing variety of culinary plants to be found in the rainforest was a divine endowment from Inak Bongsu, who transformed part of her essence into various delicious and nutritious fruits, to ensure that her children and their children's children did not go hungry. (“We value the durian,” Mak Minah said, “because its sweet, creamy flesh reminds us of heaven, and rightly so - for we are eating the divine flesh of Inak Bongsu.”) This largesse from Mamak and Inak Bongsu was granted prior to their leaving Tanah Tujuh for their original home - “beyond Pulau Buah, beyond Tanah Sejuk, beyond even the heavens, where no forms exist.”     

Everything around us is a gift, the Temuan elders say. Of course, it's rare these days to meet a Temuan who truly embodies these pristine ideals. The oldest resident of Kampung Pertak, Penengah Apak Busu Pegoi, was troubled by the fact that in recent generations many Temuan had forgotten their spiritual traditions. 

“Nowadays you'll even find people in our village throwing rubbish in the river,” he grumbled. “Even worse, some have started using poison to fish. Our great-grandparents taught us that the rivers issue from Gunung Rajah. They are like an eternal flow of mother's milk from the breast of Inak Bongsu giving us life and sustenance. How could we have discarded this knowledge so quickly?” 

Penengah's wife, Piah Agok, nodded in agreement. “Our grandparents knew so much more than we do,” she said softly.

Penengah Apak Busu Pegoi, at 90 the oldest man in Kampung Pertak, died on 30 April 1998.
This picture was taken by Antares a year earlier. His wife Piah Agok was the gentle mother 
of a large brood of 'rowdies.'