The Maori creation story tells of Rangi and Papa (Heaven and Earth) who were the original ancestors. They clung closely together in darkness along with their six sons. The sons pushed Heaven and Earth apart, separating them and allowing light. This is how light and vision came to be. In the battle to separate Heaven and Earth, Tu matauenga ate four of his brothers, sparing only Tawhiri-ma-tea. This explains humanity's fierce and warring nature as well as their reliance on food from plants, animals, and existence of storms.

1. The Maori
Contemporary Traditional Maori
Culture, part 2
"The Maori Creation Story: The
Separation of Heaven and Earth"
By Zhi Huang, 1-19-12 per6 Culture
and Geography.

2. 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 had six sons: Tane-mahuta, the
father of the forests and their inhabitants".

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

6. Tangaroa, the father of fish and reptiles".

7. Tu-matauenga , the father of fierce human beings".

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

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

10. In the beginning 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 a battle between the six sons, Tu matauenga
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.