Within the realm of Te Pō, our celestial parents, Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother), lay together in a tight embrace with their children nestled between them. Longing for more room and freedom to move, the children tried to separate their parents. It was not until their son Tāne attempted the feat by pushing Ranginui aloft with his legs while his shoulders and arms held Papatūānuku below that the two parents were successfully parted. This act allowed Te Ao Mārama (the world of light and life) to come into being, giving Tāne and his siblings room to move, explore and grow. These artworks recall the power of this creation story. They tell of the embrace Ranginui and Papatūānuku share and the role their son Tāne plays in bringing Te Ao Mārama to humankind.
Kei roto i Te Pō, e kitea nei ō tātou mātua o te tātai arorangi, a Ranginui te Matua, a Papatūānuku te Whaea, e awhi ana, ko ā rāua tamariki e kumua ana ki waenganui i a rāua. I runga i te mānakonako ki te nuku herekore, kei te ngana tēnā tama, tēnā tama ki te whakawehe i ngā mātua, tē taea. Tae rawa atu ki te tama a Tāne, nōna te whakaaro
ki te pana a Ranginui ki runga ake mā ōna waewae, i ōna pokohiwi e here ana i a Papatūānuku ki raro iho, kātahi ka whakawehea ai ō rātou mātua. Nā taua mahi āna i puta mai ai ki Te Ao Mārama, i āhei ai a Tāne rātou ko ōna tuakana, ōna teina ki te korikori, ki te tūhura, ki te tupu. Kitea ai i roto i tēnei rūma ngā toi e maumahara nei i te mana o te kōrero mō te hanganga o te ao. Ko ētahi kaupapa ko te awhi a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, ko te mahi a tā rāua tama a Tāne nāna i hanga Te Ao Mārama mō tātou te tangata.
