Papatūānuku is Earth ✱✱✱✱✱✱ in Maori mythology, she is the whenua (land) and creator of all living things. In genesis, her and Ranginui (the Sky ✱✱✱✱✱✱) hold each other tightly in a passionate embrace whilst creating many but as they begin to suffocate in the darkness - the Atua (gods) start to plot their separation. 

Eventually, Tāne-Mahuta (God of Forests + Birds) placed his shoulders against his ✱✱✱✱✱✱ and his strong ✱✱✱✱ against his ✱✱✱✱✱✱ - pushing upward with all his might, allowing to the first time for light (Te Ao Mārama) to flood the world and free his siblings. To pay his respects to his parents, Tāne adorned his beloved ✱✱✱✱✱✱ in stars, the moon and sun, his ✱✱✱✱✱✱ - he clothed her in ✱✱✱✱ forests and plants. 

Papaūānuku and Ranginui still grieve their separation to this day. Ranginui's tears of longing fall down as rain, while Papatūānuku’s warm sighs rise up as mist and fog. 

In this ✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱ I illustrate papatūānuku tangled in the roots of Tāne-Mahuta shortly after her separation - feeling her grief but also experiencing sunrise for the first time with her whanau (family).