According to Maori tradition, Rangi (sky father) and Papa (earth mother) were the original ancestors of all humans. They clung closely together in the darkness, and had six sons representing forests, winds, sea life, humans, uncultivated food, and cultivated food. The sons lived in darkness until the son Tūmatauenga ate four of his brothers, separating Rangi and Papa and bringing light into the world.

1. Contemporary Traditional Maori Culture Part 2 The Maori Creational Story: The Separation of Heaven and Earth By Eduardo Reyes(1/17/12 Period 6 Culture and Geography

2. [According to the Maori tradition]'All the 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 had six sons;:[1] Tane-mahuta,the father of the forests and their inhabitants''

5. "[2]Tawhiri-ma-tea the father of winds and storms

6. "[3]Tangoroa,the father of fish and reptiles"

7. [4]Tu-matauenga,the father of fierce human beings

8. Huamia-tikitiki,the father of food that grows without cultivation

9. Rongo-ma-tane,the father of cultivated food

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

11. After,tu-matauenge ate 4 of his brothers as food sparing tawhiri-ma-tea,the father of winds and storms