In Māori mythology the primal couple Rangi and Papa appear in a creation myth explaining the origin of the world and the Māori people. In some South Island dialects, Rangi is called Raki or Rakinui.

In Māori mythology, Rongo or Rongo-mā-Tāne is a major god of cultivated plants, especially kūmara, a vital crop. Other crops cultivated by Māori in traditional times included taro, yams, cordyline, an