Papatūānuku

Papatūānuku is the primordial earth mother in Maori cosmology, the nurturing ground from which all life springs, partnered with Ranginui (sky father) in eternal embrace until their children separated them to create space for existence. She birthed the gods and all living things, embodying fertility, stability, and the sacredness of land. In Maori tradition, the earth is her body—mountains her bones, rivers her blood—and she is honored through karakia (prayers) and respect for nature. Her story teaches balance between sky and earth, and the deep connection humans have to Papatūānuku as their ultimate mother and provider.