Maori Creation Myth

Ex Nihilo (translates to “Out of Nothing” in the Maorian language) is the creator of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatuanuku (Earth Mother). They come together in a “pro-creative” embrace and have numerous children born into darkness (use your imagination to where they may be...). One day the darkest of the children, Tumatauenga voices his opinion that they should murder Ranginui and Papatuanuku in hopes of seeing the light, but Tanemahuta opposes Tumatauenga in hopes they will be able to push their parents apart. All the siblings bicker back and forth unable to decide on what should be done, they decide Tawhirimatea should make the verdict.

                     Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatuanuku (Earth Mother)

Tawhirimatea decides they should push the parents apart but no one is able to separate them. Until one day Tanemahuta places his shoulders against earth and his feet against the sky. Upon the slow separation Ranginui and Papatuanuku start to bleed and this becomes known as ochre (red clay) and is now the sacred color of the Maroi tribe.

                               This tree is representative of Tanemahuta

After the offspring have completely separated Sky Father and Earth Mother, Urutengangana offers the idea of creating women. They search high and low, on land and in the sea, and women are no where to be found! Tanemahuta decides to visit Papatuanuku and she tells him to search in Kura-Waka; upon visiting this area they find an element, which they dig up and give to Papatuanuku. Once she has the element, she mixes together a dough, and gives it back to her children. The elder siblings shape the body while the younger ones add flesh, fat, muscles and blood to the body. Tanemahuta breaths life into the body giving rise to Hine-Ahu-One, or what we know as today, women.

Ranginui misses Papatuanuku soooo much that he starts to cry, the children feel Papatuanuku should not see Ranginui like this. They come with a plot to rotate Papatuanuku to her back but she continues to roll, over and over; this becomes known as Hurihanga a Mataaho (rotation of earth). The drops from Ranginui’s tears naturally become what is believed to be rain.