Gossage writes about the struggle of Ranginui and Papatūānuku's children who are tired of living in the dark and trying to part their parents to allow light into Aotearoa.

Tāne clothed his mother in trees, flowers and ferns then dressed his father in the rainbows, clouds, stars, the sun and the moon.

The siblings became the guardians of the land, each taking on important roles vital to the creation of Aotearoa and its prosperity.

As told in Gossage's book, the siblings (Tūmatauenga, Tāne Mahuta, Tāwhirimātea, Haumietiketike, Rongomātāne and Tangaroa) were born between Rangi and Papa in darkness but decided to separate their parents to allow light to come into the world.

[3] With their parents separated and light flowing throughout Aotearoa, the children because gods of various parts of the natural world.

[4] This time of the story, where life is flourishing, nature is evolving,[5] the siblings thrive; this is Te Ao- Mārama, the movement from darkness to the world of light.

[8] In other iwi versions of this pūrākau, sometimes it is the moon that prompts the children to separate their parents, Rangi and Papa; in some other accounts, it is the sun.