According to Maori tradition, Rangi (Heaven) and Papa (Earth) were the original ancestors who clung closely together in the darkness. They had six sons: Tane-mahuta (father of forests), Tawhiri-ma-tea (father of winds and storms), Tangaroa (father of fish and reptiles), Tu-matauenga (father of humans), Haumia-tikitiki (father of uncultivated food), and Rongo-ma-tane (father of cultivated food). The sons lived for a long time in darkness until Tu-matauenga ate four brothers but spared Tawhiri-ma-tea, explaining modern human behaviors

1. Contemporary Traditional Maori Culture,part 2 "The Maori Creation Story:The Separation of Heaven and Earth" By:Brittney, Clemente 001.019.012 Period:4 Culture and Geography Source:George Grey,1956,Polynesian Mythology(ed. by William W. Bird):Christchurch, Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd.,250 p.(BL 2615.G843p 1956);and Mr. Ruben Meza,2012

2. (According to Maori Tradition)"All humans are descended from one pair of ancestors, Rangi and Papa, who are also called Heaven and Earth."

3. "In those days, Heaven and Earth clung closely together, and all was darkness."

4. Rangi and Papa has six sons:(1)Tane-mahuta,the father of the forest and their inhabitants".

5. (2)"Tawhiri-ma-tea, the father of winds and storms".

6. "(3)Tangaroa, the father of fish and reptiles".

7. "(4) Tu- matauenga, the father of fierce human being".

8. "(5) Haumia-tikitiki, father of food that grows without cultivation."

9. (6) and Rongo-ma-tane, the father of cultivated food."

10. "In the beginning these six sons and all other beings lived in the darkness for an extremely long time,able only to wonder what light and vision might be like."

11. After a battle between the six sons, Tu-matauega ate 4 of his brothers as food,sparing Tawhiri-ma-tea, the father of winds and storms.

12. This is why today people are fierce and have war, why people eat plants and animals, and why there are storms.