Rainbow Crow Tattoo Meaning

Sacrifice, selflessness, and the crow who gave his beauty and voice to bring fire to a freezing world.

The Rainbow Crow is the bird who gave his beauty to save the world — the most beautiful of all birds, who flew to the Creator through the burning sun to bring fire to a freezing world, and returned scorched black and hoarse, his beauty spent in the saving. To carry the Rainbow Crow is to carry sacrifice, selflessness, and the crow who gave his beauty and voice to bring fire to a freezing world — the Lenape bird who volunteered to save the animals, the sacrifice of one's beauty for love, the scars of selfless giving worn as honor.

In the Lenape (Delaware) tradition, the Rainbow Crow is the hero of a beautiful tale of sacrifice: in the Lenape tradition, Rainbow Crow was the most beautiful bird in the world — his feathers shimmered with every color, his song was the most beautiful of all songs; he volunteered to fly to Kijilamuh ka'ong (the Creator) and bring fire to the animals freezing in the first great snow. When the first great snow began to fall and would not stop, the animals of the world began to freeze, and they knew they needed fire or they would all die. But the journey to the Creator was long and perilous, and someone had to go.

Rainbow Crow — the most beautiful bird of all, his feathers gleaming with every color of the rainbow and his voice the loveliest of all songs — volunteered to make the journey. He flew up and up, for three days, to reach Kijilamuh ka'ong, the Creator, and begged for fire to save the freezing animals. The Creator gave him a burning stick of fire, and Rainbow Crow flew back down through the cold to bring it to the world — and as he flew, carrying the burning brand in his beak, the fire and smoke scorched his beautiful rainbow feathers black and the smoke ruined his lovely voice, so that he arrived having saved the animals but having lost his beauty and his song. The Lenape Rainbow Crow is thus the bird who brought fire to the freezing world — the most beautiful bird, who flew to the Creator and carried fire back to save the animals. Rainbow Crow, the most beautiful bird, volunteered to fly to the Creator and bring fire to save the animals freezing in the first great snow. The Lenape Rainbow Crow is the bird who brought fire to the freezing world — in the Lenape (Delaware) tradition, Rainbow Crow was the most beautiful bird in the world (his feathers shimmering with every color, his song the most beautiful of all), who volunteered to fly to Kijilamuh ka'ong (the Creator) and bring fire to the animals freezing in the first great snow; when the first great snow fell and would not stop and the animals began to freeze, knowing they needed fire or all would die, Rainbow Crow, the most beautiful bird of all, volunteering to make the long perilous journey — flying up for three days to reach the Creator and beg for fire, given a burning stick, and flying back down through the cold carrying the burning brand in his beak, the fire and smoke scorching his beautiful rainbow feathers black and ruining his lovely voice, so he arrived having saved the animals but having lost his beauty and his song.

The Rainbow Crow story is a traditional Lenape (Delaware) legend, most widely known through Ann Rinaldi's picture book retelling (1995) though the oral tradition predates this significantly. The story: when snow came for the first time and the animals were freezing, the council of animals decided to send someone to the Creator for help. Rainbow Crow — the most beautiful of birds, whose feathers shimmered with all colors — volunteered. He flew three days to reach the Creator. The Creator gave him a stick of fire. Rainbow Crow flew three days back, the fire burning in his beak. By the time he landed, his rainbow feathers were black with soot, his beautiful voice made harsh and hoarse by the smoke. The Creator told him: because you did this, no human will ever hunt you for your meat or your feathers. You will be free.

Rainbow Crow across cultures

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