Papatūānuku and Ranginui | Victoria Olt

In Māori mythology, Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) and Ranginui (Sky Father) are the primal parents from whom all life descends. In the beginning, they were locked in a tight, loving embrace, so close that no light could reach between them. Their many children, powerful atua (gods) of forests, winds, seas, and other natural forces, lived cramped in darkness, pressed between earth and sky. Over time, the children longed for space to move and light to see the world more fully.

A debate arose among them: should they kill their parents to end the darkness, or simply push them apart? After much discussion, they agreed on separation. One by one they tried, but it was Tāne-mahuta, god of the forests, who finally succeeded. Placing his shoulders against the earth and his feet against the sky, he pushed with all his strength until, with great effort, Papatūānuku and Ranginui were torn apart. Light streamed into the world for the first time, and the children were free to roam.

Though separated, Earth and Sky continued to grieve for one another. Ranginui’s tears fall as rain, while mists rising from the ground are Papatūānuku’s sighs for her lost partner. This story not only explains the origin of light and space in the world but also speaks of the deep bonds between land and sky, and the balance between creation, separation, and enduring love.