Editing Ao (Māori mythology) (section)

== Genealogy ==
Ao appears evolving through the forms Aonui, Aoroa, Aowheneke, Ao-whetara out of the darkness as part of the great cosmological genealogies in [[Te Arawa]]'s traditions, as part of the creation of the universe.<ref name="Tregear"/>{{rp|667}}

Aonui, Aoroa, Aopouri, Aopotango, Aowhetuma, Aowhekere, Aokahiwahiwa, Aokanapanapa, Aopakakina, Aopakarea, and Aotakawe were also the names of the {{lang|mi|[[atua]]}} who were the storm clouds, the children, of [[Tāwhirimātea]], which were sent to punish his brothers after the separation of his parents, [[Rangi and Papa]].<ref name="Tregear"/>{{rp|15}}

In a version recorded from Hūkiki Te Ahukaramū, a [[Ngāti Raukawa]] chief, Te Ao was born out of Te Ata, which itself came from the darkness.<ref name=Creation/> Ao's last form in Hūkiki's version is Te Ao Mārama.<ref name=Creation>{{cite web|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/maori-creation-traditions/page-1|title=Māori creation traditions: Common threads in creation stories|last=Royal|first=Te Ahukaramū Charles|date=2005|accessdate=14 June 2020|website=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand}}</ref> A version given by the [[Ngāi Tahu|Kāi Tahu]] of [[Moeraki]] is similar.<ref name="Shortland">{{cite book|last=Shortland|first=Edward|authorlink=Edward Shortland|date=1856|orig-year=1854|title=Traditions and Superstitions of the New Zealanders|url=https://archive.org/details/traditionssupers00shoruoft/page/56/mode/2up|location=London|publisher=Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans & Roberts|page=56|access-date=12 June 2020}}</ref>