El arcoíris

In the United States, rainbows are overwhelmingly a sign of positivity. Songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “Rainbow Connection” describe rainbows as beacons of hope for the future. However, in Peru rainbows are seen as the opposite: signs of bad luck. With the unpredictability of Peruvian weather, and prevalence of rain through even the dry season, rainbows are extremely common. In only one week, I have seen two rainbows. According to our hiking guide in Pisac, people would in fact avoid looking at rainbows in order to escape the bad luck they supposedly bring. This belief is thought to come from the myth of the Amaru, an evil two headed serpent representative of the world of the dead. Because of this, during Incan times, rainbows were seen as a physical representation of the Amaru during the day. In fact, the end of the rainbow was thought to be the entrance to hell, and therefore rainbows became synonymous with death. 

In the U.S., the rarity of rainbows makes them special, and therefore positive. However, because they are so common here in Cusco, they no longer bring this positive sentiment. Additionally, in my opinion, the fact that something as beautiful as a rainbow can be considered evil is representative of Peruvian culture. To us, we have an inherent belief that something that beautiful could not possibly be bad. However, it is possible that the history of Peru (and the Incas), has led to a distrust of such beauty. I believe the symbolism of the rainbow in each culture represents fundamental differences in our belief systems. Going to Lima, being close to the coast, I wonder if rainbows will be so common there, and what people’s opinions on them will be.