Māori settlement of Aotearoa (mid-13th century)

Timeline

1. 1241–1245East coast (around Hawke's Bay) · North IslandPolynesian migrants established coastal and estuarine settlements on the east coast of the North Island, introducing crops such as taro and sweet potato and adapting to the temperate climate; stone tools, bone tools, and hearth remains appear in early sites.
2. 1245–1250Central North Island and the Waikato region · North IslandThe various iwi gradually delineated their territories, built defensive pā, and developed refined wood-carving and weaving crafts; descendants of navigators recorded in oral tradition integrated into local social structures during this period, forming a distinct Māori cultural identity.