The excerpt that best shows how the Maori perceive their parents is:
"We cannot do this," he said. "Rangi and Papa are our parents. They have created us, made us who we are."
This excerpt highlights the Maori belief that their parents, Rangi (the Sky Father) and Papa (the Earth Mother), are responsible for their creation and identity. It emphasizes the reverence and respect they have for their parents as the ultimate source of their existence.