representing various aspects of daily spiritual life. One of these, is Indalo-shaped and known as Rainbow Man. In Rameses II's temple at Abydos in Egypt you will find the Indalo-shaped figures of the courting priestesses of Seti. In South/Central America, the Mayan, Aztec, Tarascan and Inca races had gods and goddesses of the Rainbow. The symbol also appears in cultures in Africa, Australia and Asia. In Spain, the Indalo Rainbow Warrior is known as the Guerrero de Arco Iris . . the Warrior of the Rainbow.



















I have spent much time studying this little lucky symbol / amulet and, as a Portrait Artist, decided to paint different forms of the Indalo in my work. This can be seen on my Indalo Art website. (The Indalo is reputed to be at its luckiest when given as a gift . . . Did I mention it's nearly Christmas?!)

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Page 24                                                                                                                                     Mojacarmagazine.com    Issue 14

Who says Mojácar is full of witches? 'Richard Rambeau' for one; Well, he reports in The Reader that "Ghosts used to be fairly regular inhabitants of Mojácar, perhaps as part of the town’s magical heritage (‘rincón de embrujo’ - the corner of enchantment, ‘el aquelarre’ - the witches’ coven, and the many ‘curanderos’ or faith-healers of olden times, all scampering around waving their Indalos at each other)."  The American poet Denise Duhamel in one of her books mentions Mojácar as the "city of witches" where, in the quiet dead of night, there might be a witch's ceremony somewhere."   

Sadly, because she was a tourist, she was never invited. However, her guidebook 'confirmed' that there were still such gatherings on "sheltered corners of mountainsides." (Which bar is that then??) The author of the website Mojacar.co.uk says that "If you read books about the village they talk about its link to witchcraft in the 15th century." I'm still following up on that one. My own website, Indaloart.com reports the oft-mentioned phrase that Mojácar is a "village of witches" because of its supposed flirtation with faith-healing, spells, and magic brews over many years. Please, if anyone has any more information on this, let me know. But one thing is undisputed: Mojácar loves it's Indalo - the little Rainbow Warrior type symbol seen on countless cars, trucks and houses, and a celebrated good luck talisman . . possibly related to all those spells and witches, but equally likely to be related to ancient beliefs, God and a Saint:


















The Indalo shape (whether it be classical like Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, or spiritual as in the Rainbow Man or Rainbow Warrior of the ancient North American Indians, is undoubtedly a popular symbol worldwide. In Spain, the area of the world where it is most seen, it dates back to Neolithic times: The symbol found in the caves at Vélez Blanco has been dated around 4,500 BC and the cave was declared a National Historical Monument in 1924; it is now a site of UNESCO World Heritage. But it is unclear whether the origin of the word itself (Indalo) relates to 'Indal Eccius' (meaning 'Messenger of God' in ancient Iberian) or to a Saint, San Indalecio, sent by Rome to evangalise the Iberian peninsular in the first century AD, who was subsequently martyred just outside Almería. The Rainbow Warrior of North America got its name from native American Indian culture and in particular that of the Cree, Hopi and Sioux tribes. It also features in sacred drawings of the Zuni and the Navajo. In Hawaii, the petroglyphs are ancient rock carvings