Rangi

The Sky Father

Ranginui, the Sky Father, is the primordial male deity of Maori tradition, eternally paired with Papatuanuku the Earth Mother. Together they represent the fundamental duality of existence, and their separation marks the beginning of the world as we know it.

The Beginning

In the beginning, there was only Te Kore, the void, and from the void emerged Rangi and Papa, locked in an embrace so tight that their children were trapped in darkness between them. For ages, the children of Rangi and Papa lived in this cramped, lightless space.

The Separation

When the children decided to separate their parents, several attempted and failed before Tane succeeded. Lying on his back with his shoulders against Papa and his feet against Rangi, Tane slowly pushed the sky upward. Rangi clung desperately to Papa, but was finally wrenched away. The primal couple has been separated ever since.

Eternal Grief

Rangi has never stopped mourning his separation from Papa. His tears fall as rain upon her body. The mists that rise from the earth are Papa's sighs, reaching upward toward her husband. Dawn and dusk, when earth and sky seem closest, are particularly sacred times, moments when the primordial couple almost touch again.

The Stars

After the separation, Tane adorned his father with the sun, moon, and stars. These celestial bodies are Rangi's children, placed on his body as ornaments. The Milky Way is Te Ika o Rangi, the fish of Rangi, swimming across the night sky.