Between Māori Myth and Greek Titan Myth: Comparing the Birth of the Gods

The myths of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, the Sky Father and the Earth Mother of Māori legend, and the creation myth of their godly children can be compared to that of Kronos and Rhea, the Greek titan of time and titan of fertility, and their own children's birth.

Upon their birth, Ranginui and Papatūānuku’s sons were held tightly between the two, with no space to move or roam as the parents held each other tightly. Soon the sons began to anger as they wanted to have their own space to grow beyond the limitations of their parents, and they began to try and push their parents apart. Each son tried and tried by themselves, until their son Tānemahuta, who became the god of the forest, separated his parents from each other by pushing them apart with his legs rather than his hands like his brothers had tried. He forced his father into becoming the above and the sky, while his mother stayed as the earth, and with their separation came light.

Before the birth of Kronos’ children, he was told of a prophecy of his son overthrowing his reign. As his next child was born, a daughter, in his paranoia he ate the first child, Hestia. He continued to eat each child as Rhea birthed them. Upon the birth of Zeus, Rhea decided to instead present Kronos with rocks swaddled in blankets, while her newborn rested safely on the isle of Krete. He knew nothing of it, and years later, Zeus, his son, would return to free his siblings. He tricked Kronos into digesting poisoned wine and in turn, his father regurgitated all of his siblings who returned to Zeus’ side to oppose the titan's reign.

These myths can be compared through their messages of how the godly children escaped their parents to come into their power by separating them and defying their father. Their mother, who are both at least associated with the earth, are left to be close to their children, while the father is cast away. It is only once one specific son in each of these myths defies their father on their own do the siblings become free of imprisonment to escape and come into great power as they leave their parent's shadows to become greater than them.